


Healing

by orangenfrottee



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Finale, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Cheryl Blossom, BAMF Toni Topaz, Cannibalism (past), Canon-Typical Violence, Drug Addiction, Episode: s03e21 Chapter Fifty-Six: The Dark Secret of Harvest House, Everyone Needs A Hug, Everyone's Hurt, F/F, F/M, Family Issues, Friendship, Gen, Hurt Toni, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mantle family issues, Minor Character Death, Post 3x21, Self-Medication (past), broken Alice, hurt Betty, ignores 3x22, post Chapter 56, some of the canon insanity taken seriously, the kids get some
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-03-02 07:23:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 43,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18806458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orangenfrottee/pseuds/orangenfrottee
Summary: An alternate series finale set directly after episode 3x21 Chapter 56: The Dark Secret of Harvest House.Jughead and Toni team up to save their girlfriends and give us the rescue mission we wanted. After, Betty wakes at the hospital and Cheryl starts putting her family back together.Or:The town's teens need hugs and psychological help, disappeared parents have to step up their game, friendships save lives and FP would like to be the bringer of some good news for once.





	1. Waking

First, all Betty sees is white.

The white becomes a ceiling. There’s beeping. She’s worried. Where is she? Wasn’t she fighting? Wasn’t there screaming? She was at the Farm, she-

“Betty? Oh god, Betty.”

Her eyes move left and there he is. She knew he’d come for her.

“Jug.” Her voice isn’t quite there, but he smiles and holds her hand a bit tighter.

“You’re okay, Betts.”

♕

Veronica notices Jughead coming from afar and is out of her seat and at his side before the others have fully understood he’s there. She looks at him with uncertainty, so he smiles and says: “She woke.”

She has her arms around his neck in a tight embrace and Archie hurries over to engulf them both in one of his hugs. Jughead leans into their warmth and for a moment they just stand there like that.

“She’s asleep now. Regular, healthy sleep. She’s okay.”

There’s a sound like a giggle and Veronica lets it out, but they soon realize she’s crying. They hold her tighter, arms around her, unsure what to do.

Reggie is hovering awkwardly just-out-of-reach, so Archie nods to him that he’s allowed to take over. Veronica moves easily into his arms and Archie leads Jughead over to their group. He is pleased to not only see those he left there still waiting, but his father checked in again, too. And then there’re the Serpents, some of their classmates and Pop Tate, all risen from their seats upon his sight.

The relief in the group is palpable. Sweet Pea just nods at him, the long hours visible in his face. Pop exhales deeply in relief and hides his face back between his hands. Ethel, still properly put together and surly not waiting for too long, smiles shyly at him.

Archie turns and moves over to his previous seat, leaving Jughead with a view of the back of his head.

“Is that dried blood in your hair?” Jughead scuffs. “Man, you look like death warmed over. Go home.”

“Jug. We could be twins today.” Archie jokes. “You should go home.”

“Only reason I’m out here is the nurses having a shift change and literally kicking me out of the room.” He checks the time. “I think I can get back in. Get rest.”

“Yeah, I’ll drive you Andrews. I’m Errand Boy today, it’s my superpower. I’ve already been grocery shopping for your mom.”

Archie tries to decline, but Reggie is having none of it. “I’m not joking. You look like you’ll drop any second, Andrews. I’ll drive you.”

Veronica has found her composure again and speaks up, voice firm and not allowing contradiction. “You too, Sheriff Jones. You two were out and about all night, we got a night’s sleep. Let us take over. I’ll keep an eye on your son.”

♕

A drip feeds liquids and pain medication to Betty. There are machines behind her, beeping away and keeping track of her breathing and the beat of her heart, displays blinking merrily.

Her hair is down and lays open across her pillow, skin pale and face sunken in. She looks small and frail in the hospital bed. She’s in the ICU.

Jughead sits in a chair next to her, holds her hand and waits.

When the hospital staff tell him to take a break and go home to take a shower, eat dinner and get some sleep, he refuses. After they make him leave the room, he hovers nearby in the corridor until Veronica shows up to take his place and brings Reggie to take him back to Elm Street with strict orders not to allow him back until he took proper care of himself and ate for at least three people.

She doesn’t have to stay in the corridor for long, against regulation a nice nurse lets her back into the room, where she stays for close to two hours, seated next to a sleeping Betty, staring at displays keeping track of vitals in ways she doesn’t quite understand, but interprets no changes as good signs.

Freshly showered, fed and with an overnight bag Jellybean packed for him over one shoulder, Jughead comes back so quietly, for a moment Veronica doesn’t notice him. He just stands there, half behind her, and watches Betty with her.

♕

Much later, Betty wakes again. It’s darker. There’s still beeping and she’s still in the same room. Outside in the corridor, she can hear a few quiet steps. Is she alone? She tries to move her hands and touches another. Jughead is still there, sleeping, his hands holding her left.

He looks tired. She can’t be sure in the dark, but there’s a shadow on his face that could easily be a black eye. Was he hurt?

She lets him sleep and watches him breathe.

♕

It’s light when Betty wakes again. Over her is a white ceiling, a lamp. The walls are white as well and there’s a window with daylight shining in. A table with flowers. She’s definitely in a hospital. A real hospital. Not the Farm's Chop Shop at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy.

It’s a new room. It’s quiet. No loud sounds, no screams. She can hear a street somewhere outside and steps from outside of the room, as if someone walks up and down a corridor, rolling something around.

She tries to move and sit up, there’s pain.

A pair of soft hands finds its way to her upper arm, gentle and slow.

“It’s okay. You’re okay. Now. And safe.” It’s not Jughead, it’s Jellybean Jones, nervous but calm. “Hey. You’re in Riverdale. At the hospital. I’ll- I’ll get you someone.”

Jellybean makes eye contact with her once more then she’s out of the door. It barely closes before it’s opened wide and a stroller, she hasn’t seen in use for way too long, is pushed in, Jughead right behind. Hat askew, he looks tired and way too young. In a way they all are.

“Betty. You’re awake.”

“Good morning, my brave Hellcaster.” She wants to say that, but all she manages are a few odd noises. She swallows and tries again. “Juniper’s okay?”

Jughead parks the stroller and moves close to her. “Yeah.” He smiles and brushes a few strands of her hair out of her face. “So's Dagwood. And so are you.”

She looks at him and smiles. They were okay.

♕

Jellybean brings a doctor with her when she reenters the room and smiles proudly at them both.

“I’ll make sure these two find home in one piece.” She says and leaves the room pushing the stroller carefully.

Betty looks up at him, obviously asking what that was about.

“Cheryl will be taking care of them for the next few days. Just until Polly’s better.”

The doctor coughs to remind them of his presence and to demand their attention.

“Miss Cooper, you’re going to be just fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact, this is actually a prologue I didn't want to label as such.
> 
> English isn't my first language and I do all the proof reading myself. If you find typos, weird grammar or anything out of place, you're welcome to tell me about it. I'd like to correct what I can. If you're interested in investing time in this, I'd love someone to beta read for me.


	2. Dying

_After digging out Jason’s casket, Jughead tried to call Betty and when she failed to answer, he knew to worry right away. He wasn’t a fan of her being at the Farm in the first place, and with her explicitly telling him to call right after... He tried calling her a second time and took off on his motorbike._

_On the shortcut to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy from the Blossom Estate right through the forest, using barely-there paths and the good will of his bike, he met Toni. Clad in nothing but a hair band and a thin hospital gown, she was still running from farmies that gave their chase up long ago._

_Concerned, he stopped and gave her his jacket, still heavy with grave dirt._

_Toni was panicked and confused and struggled to catch her breath. She spoke as if she still needed to sort her thoughts and what had happened._

_“-Cheryl told me I had to flee. Because maybe Betty was right after all. They were-“ She stopped, finally getting what was going on and stared right into Jughead’s face. “It’s an organ farm. They already took Kevin’s and Fang’s kidneys. Oh god, they’ve got Cheryl.”_

_Jughead couldn’t breathe for a moment. He couldn’t reach Betty._

_He grabbed his phone, called his father and while it rang told Toni to put the jacket on and get on the bike._

♕

_Just having put Hiram Lodge behind bars, FP still had a smug smile on his face when his phone rang. It was his son. Preparing to tell him how finally something good had happened in their town, he answered the call and stopped short at the panicked tone in Jughead’s voice. Listening he became more and more disturbed._

_Agent Ardelia who was still at the sheriff station to finish the paperwork for Hiram’s incarceration observed him with growing apprehension._

_“Toni and I are taking off now. We need backup.” Jughead finished and immediately ended the call._

_FP made eye contact with Ardelia. “Worst case. I need all the help you can get.”_

_Somehow, they organized a raid in moments._

♕

_Toni and Jughead left the bike at the edge of the woods and crept towards the back of the Farm, planning to get in through one of the doors. They were all locked. Without Betty and her bobby pins they busted through a wonky looking one by sheer force. It turned out to be not quite as wonky as they thought. Jughead needed to ram his body -left shoulder first- against it a second and a third time, then the door opened with a clang and for a moment they worried it would bring the farmies upon them. They went in and when it stayed quiet, they moved on._

_They were in a cellar; it was quiet and dark and there was no one in sight. They made their way up, Toni leading the way, and used what appeared to be a seldomly used staircase. They checked the dormitory floor, first Betty’s and then Cheryl’s rooms, but both were empty. What wasn’t empty was the room across from Cheryl’s: Kevin and Fangs were home and, having heard them run in, stood in the door waiting._

_“Toni. Jughead. Edgar won’t be happy with you disturbing the peace like that.”_

♕

_FP and Agent Ardelia were the first of the combined FBI and Riverdale police taskforce to arrive, their colleagues not far behind them. On their way, FP told her everything he knew about the building and the Farm which honestly wasn’t that much._

_“All of this sounds absolutely... ridiculous, Sheriff Jones. Gay conversion therapy? Nuns testing drugs on orphans? Organ farming cult? Are you certain any of it is true?”_

_“All of it. This is Riverdale.”_

_They secured the exits, stormed the grounds and took everyone into custody they found on the site._

♕

_“You’re looking for Betty? She certainly wasn’t feeling well today. We brought her to Edgar, he’s helping her right now.”_

_“Helping- A treatment? She must be in the infirmary!” Toni was turning to another staircase, but before she could take off, Fangs had his hands around her upper arms and held tight._

_“Not so fast Toni. Betty needs his help. And so do you.”_

_She clawed against his hands, trashed and kicked her naked feet against his legs. Jughead balled his fists and planned on landing them in Fangs’ face, but Kevin was there, caught his hands and turned them with the rest of his body until he had Jughead held tight and unable to move. In vain, he tried to smash the back of his head into Kevin’s face or throw him off._

_Fangs transferred Toni to a single arm and used his other to smash his fist into Jughead’s face. He screamed. Toni used the new position to ram her foot into Fangs’ healing side, forcing him to release her. Kevin looked up, worried, and let his guard down for a single moment, so Jughead could throw him over and land a kick into his healed organ removal wound._

_They took off towards the infirmary._

♕

_The orderlies who caught her locked Cheryl in a tiny, windowless room on the ground floor. It was dark and insanely quiet. The only source of light was coming from the corridor through the keyhole and from underneath the door. She needed to get out._

_The door was old but sturdy. She tried kicking against it, but nothing happened. She was sure Betty could easily pick the lock with a bobby pin, but she didn’t even have one on her._

_Betty. She hoped she managed to make Kevin and Fangs see reason and run. But then, when did something work out the way they wanted? And weren’t Fangs and Kevin much longer with the Farm than she was? What if they were deeper in than her? What if Betty needed her help right now?_

_Cheryl stumbled a step back into the room and started to feel around in the dark, hoping to find something, anything that could help her get out. She needed to get out. She found shelves full of bottles and cans. Somewhere amid them, she found a few tools and grabbed something heavy and metallic._

_She held it tight and started to smash it against the door, again and again. It wasn’t fast working, it didn’t seem to help at all, but she figured either the door would break, or someone would find her and let her out. Nothing happened._

_When she rearranged her grip on it, she figured out what the tool was: a crowbar. Crowbars weren’t for smashing; every kid knew that. And leverage would help. She positioned it just above the lock and pressed with all she had. Nothing, but she wasn’t giving up. She leaned her upper body against the door and pressed the crowbar away using her feet and every ounce of will she had. She wasn’t head cheerleader for nothing. This door was nothing against her. It would give. It would._

_When it did, it crashed open with a bang. She lost all equilibrium and fell after it and right into the arms of a very surprised Sheriff Jones. The man that covered for her brother’s murderer and that welcomed her with open arms in the Serpents. Now a cop. She blinked. This was good._

_“Check the damn infirmary!”_

♕

_The girls leading the way, they met in front of the door to what was ridiculously named the infirmary. It wasn’t locked. No one here would dare to open it without explicit permission._

_Jughead stormed in first, headless. FP drew his gun and was right after him. Toni and Cheryl, who had picked up the crowbar stood behind him in the door and Agent Ardelia, professional yet still skeptical if this actually was a case, stood behind them, gun in hand, securing their exit._

_They found Edgar mid-operation, arms-deep in Betty’s guts, flanked by two nurses._

_“Get away from the girl! I’ll shoot.” FP had his gun instantly aimed at Edgar’s head._

_But he had no chance to react because Jughead already jumped him, pushing him away from Betty and towards a wall. Edgar, scalpel in hand, struggled and fought, trying to throw Jughead off and slashed into his arms and hands._

_The nurses kept standing where they were, starring at the fight between Edgar and Jughead and move as one towards the extra scalpels._

_FP used the grip of his gun to knock one of the nurses out._

_Toni, having the better angle, grabbed Cheryl’s crowbar and smacked the other nurse with it. She fell to the ground, stunned._

_Jughead punched Edgar’s face over and over until he stopped struggling._

_There was blood everywhere. So much blood._

_It couldn’t all have been Betty’s blood. There couldn’t have been that much blood in her body. Never. Edgar’s disgusting apron was red. So were Jughead’s hands and arms and clothes, the floor and the stretcher Betty was still tied to._

_Edgar had cut Betty open, meaning to take what organs he could and leave her to die._

_She was dying. Someone screamed. Likely Cheryl but maybe it was Jughead or all of them, no one knew. They were so scared._

_Agent Ardelia, the only one without personal stakes, made a call._

_“I need an ambulance this instance!”_

♕

_Once they had done for Betty what they were able to and had her safely in the back of an ambulance, Jughead tagging along, the FBI led by Agent Ardelia began rounding up everyone on the grounds._

_Some of the farmies weren’t actually comprehending what was going on and some just stared with wonder and awe at the strangers on their grounds. Most acted timid and frightful, but followed instructions or were so unresponsive, making them follow those worked fine. A few responded with aggression and violence, earning handcuffs and severity in return.  All were taken into custody_.

♕

_FP stood in the courtyard, starring after the car for a second. Toni stood next to him, still barefoot, but clad in Jughead’s jacket and the first blanket FP could find. Cheryl was right beside her, arms around her girlfriend, trying to give her additional warmth._

_“Get into my car, the FBI has this under control. I need to get you to the hospital, too.”_

_Just when they moved over, they heard a baby cry and all three of them stopped and looked up._

_“Juniper,”_

_Cheryl acted first, rushing towards the officer carrying the child. “I’m her aunt. Please, let me take her.”_

_The officer looked at her and stepped back, holding the baby safer and out of reach._

_“It’s fine, Terry. She’s sane.” FP said and the officer let Cheryl take the child. “Where's the twin?”_

_“Oh, Dagwood’s safe. He’s with my mother.” Cheryl suddenly sounded elated. “He’s so lucky! I never understood her, but Dagwood will! Edgar said-“_

_She stopped abruptly, horrified, and would have screamed angrily if she hadn’t been holding a crying child she tried to soothe. “That horrible gnome and his brainwashing. Not enough, I endangered Toni, he even screwed with that! Get into the car. We’re needed at the hospital.”_

_On the way Cheryl checked her pockets, looking for her phone but coming up empty handed. “Can I borrow a phone? We need a second rescue mission.”_

_Toni offered her Jughead’s that somehow found its way back into one of the pockets of his jacket. It naturally didn’t have Cheryl’s contacts, but landing on Archie right away, she messaged him first, typing rapidly._

_“Emergency. Baby Dagwood is alone with Penelope Blossom. The left barn. Try the side-entrance. Save him, please.”_

_Choosing a messaging app and logging into her own account she sent the same message to all the Pretty Poisons, following it up with an apology for abandoning them for a brainwashing organ stealing cult and ensuring them they were sane again. She thought aloud and narrated that she typed._

_“Call Jellybean and give me the phone.” FP originally planned on being home by now. His daughter needed checking on._

_Cheryl sent a last text with a plea to check on Nana Rose, who they left all alone at Thistlehouse, and did as she was told._

♕

_Archie told his mother he had a message from Jughead and had to go take care of something and was gone. His father took the car for the business trip he had spontaneously taken off for, so he only had two options to choose from: his old bicycle and the car he hadn’t driven since he confessed to a murder he didn’t commit. While it was cold, it wasn’t freezing and the streets were clear, so he took the car to reach the Blossom Estate as fast as he could._

_Right at the gates, he met t_ _he Pretty Poisons, who were sent there with the same task by Cheryl. Were she and Jughead working together? What was going on?_

_They teamed up assuming their best bet was to just pressure Penelope into giving the baby back, though they were all sure the Pretty Poisons would be fine on their own. Leaving their bikes and his car behind at the gates, the girls led the way to the barn in question. They were just turning a corner when a door was opened and all of them ducked into the shadows. It was late, nearly midnight. Who was still out and about here?_

_They peeked around the building they used as cover and were shocked to be presented with the sight of Hal Cooper, the Black Hood. Archie clenched his hands into tight fists. Betty told them he was back but seeing him face to face felt different than just knowing he was around.  They couldn’t let him flee or endanger anyone else._

_The Poisons made eye contact with each other and had a plan ready within seconds. They knew their way around the Estate, Cheryl used to have them over for archery lessons and tea dates with Nana Rose whenever they were in the mood. They split up into pairs, everyone armed with bows and arrows and crept through the shadows until they had Hal surrounded. Archie sneaked closer too._

_They took aim and on Peaches’ sign they shot. Hal screamed._

_The Poisons had hit him in a shoulder and both legs. He grabbed for a gun he carried with him and of all the directions he could have taken stumbled towards Archie._

_Archie knocked him out cold with a single punch to his face. Hal crumpled to the ground._

_Peaches smiled. “Good teamwork, Poisons, Red.”_

_She turned around and came face to face with Penelope Blossom, who came out of the barn after hearing the scream to check on Hal. Seeing the girls all over the place, she tried to run but didn’t come far. The Poisons were on her and pushed her to the ground._

_“No running, night-hag.” One of them said. “Not just a horrible mother, but also living with a serial-killer? Nice.”_

_“This is a civilians’ arrest.” Another Poison took her arms and twisted them to her back. “Get me some rope. She’s a kinky one, I’m sure she has some on hand.”_

_With the Poisons having both stunned and bound tightly, Archie took out his phone to call the sheriff station. No one answered._

_They took Penelope’s car and loaded them both into the trunk, locking after them to make sure they couldn’t flee. With them out of the way, one of the Poisons went to fetch Dagwood, who was peacefully sleeping in a crib somewhere in a backroom of the barn while another went to check up on Nana Rose who was found peacefully sleeping in her bedroom._

_Peaches supervised the trunk and had other Poisons trying to call Cheryl, Toni and the sheriff station once more while Archie tried to reach first Jughead and then Betty. When both didn’t connect, he tried calling his mother and was surprised to hear she was over at the Joneses’ house and watching over Jellybean._

_“Archie, Betty is hurt. Can you come and take us to the hospital?”_

_Betty? How could Betty have gotten hurt? Of course, he’d be going there._

_He must have said something, because Peaches called him and told him to take Dagwood with him if he was going there. The Poisons who couldn’t reach anyone, would take the criminals to the sheriff station themselves._

_Not wanting to take the baby in his hoodless car, he borrowed Cheryl’s._


	3. Stabilizing

_Once FP drove them to the hospital and they got to check in with a distraught Jughead -Betty was in actual surgery now, but there was no news yet- their agency left them. They stood lost in the corridor to the operating room as a nurse spotted the still shivering Toni. She advised the others to move to the waiting area and led her to a room to get checked up in and warm up. Cheryl left the now sleeping child with FP and tagged along._

_FP, one arm full of Juniper, put his other hand on Jughead’s shoulder and steered him towards the seats. “She’s a strong one. She’ll pull through.”_

_He sighed._

_“It’s what she always does.”_

_She shouldn’t have to. Not so often._

_They sat for a while, silent, starring at the ground or the clock on the wall and watching little Juniper. When Jughead leaned over to poke one of her chubby cheeks and left a filthy smudge in his wake, FP sent him to the bathroom to get cleaned up._

_It was a good call. Jughead was filthy. There was the dirt of Jason’s grave still and then there was blood. He knew some was Betty’s, but he vainly hoped most of it was Edgar’s or his own. He washed his hands and face and discovered shallow cuts on one of his lower arms. His shoulder throbbed. He was sure he was green and blue under his shirt. He didn’t take it off._

_When he stepped out of the bathroom, he saw his father speaking with a doctor. He rushed over and got to hear the tail end of their exchange._

_“The surgeons are still working on saving her left kidney. She has lost a great amount of blood, but she’s stable now.”_

_He stood next to his father and kept listening, not fully processing what else was said. Stable wasn’t dying. Stable was good. She’d surely be okay. Right?_

_Next he knew, he was seated again and Cheryl was leading Toni towards them, now dressed in a simple set of clothes with hospital slippers on her feet. Between the hem of her pants and those slippers bandages were visible. Right, she was barefoot when he met her, running through the damn woods. Last week they still had snow._

_Just then, Archie and Jellybean came through the door and stormed towards them, Mary with Dagwood in her arms a few meters behind._

_“Mom told me what happened. Any news on Betty?!”_

_Jughead’s on his feet and nodded, Archie’s arms warm around him. “Yeah. She’s still in surgery. But stable. She’s stable.”_

_“Surgery.” Cheryl sounded like she thought aloud. “Oh god. Did anyone check the twins for surgery scars? What if Edgar took their organs, too?”_

_The idea sounded crazy and it probably was. But so was Edgar. They frantically scrambled to check both kids over. They didn’t find anything._

_Jellybean seemed a bit lost in between them, so Jughead smiled at her and patted the seat next to him in invitation. She took it._

_Wanting to pass the time waiting for news on Betty, FP started taking everyone’s statements and was promptly interrupted by a sheepish Archie._

_“Mr. Jones. The Pretty Poisons and I have detained Hal Cooper and Penelope Blossom. The Poisons drove them to the sheriff station.”_

_“The Black Hood? Call me when you get any news.” FP slapped his son’s shoulder in support and left for the station in a hurry. A few steps away, he turned back and made eye contact with Mary. “Take care of the kids.”_

_Hearing the name of her mother, Cheryl stared at Archie for longer than she realized, before she shook her head and stared at the retreating form of FP._

_They watched after him long after he was gone. They only stopped because suddenly Mary had brought them all hot drinks. Consequently, their gazes transferred to the cups in their hands, the clock, the ground or the two tiny toddlers they had in their midst, both peacefully sleeping._

♕

_How timing so often is, the doctor came back just after Jughead went to the bathroom._

_Cheryl took charge and rushed towards him, holding Dagwood in her arms. “Do you have new information on Betty?”_

_The doctor looked at her and let his eyes wander about the room. “Weren’t you with the Sheriff? I can’t just give a patient’s information out to strangers.”_

_“We’re family. I’m her cousin.”_

_“I’m sorry but-“_

_“What are you saying Dagwood? You want to know if you’re godmother is alright? Yes, I would like to know, too, how my should-be sister-in-law is doing.” When she saw him shaking his head, not budging, she didn’t miss a beat. She was always quick on her feet. “Fine, then please wait until her fiancé -the Sheriff’s son- comes back. Her parents are in prison and currently insane, she doesn’t have anyone- here he is. Jug, he has info on your fiancée!”_

_Hurrying to the doctor, Jughead rolled with it._

_The news wasn’t good._

_Betty was still stable, but her kidney was hurt too much by Edgar’s amateur surgical skills. They had to give up saving it._

_Cheryl became vocal, Jughead quiet, both not wanting to accept it, both worried._

_Archie and Toni stood close behind them, he had a hand against Jughead’s back in support, she had both hands around Cheryl’s upper arms._

_Jughead didn’t know what to do, what to ask._

_“Will she be okay? Can we see her?”_

_“Not yet, she is still in surgery.”_

_“What is she still in surgery for?”_

_The doctor was patient with him and tried to help him understand._

_Left in the back with a sleeping Juniper and a very quiet Jellybean who was so obviously scared and worried, Mary laid an arm around the girl’s shoulder and held her close. Quietly she said. “Don’t you worry, Betty is going to be alright.”_

♕

_The sheriff station was bursting with people when FP arrived. There wasn’t just about everyone that worked for the Riverdale police. There were officers and deputies sent over to help by Centerville and Greendale, the FBI agents and then there was everyone they held captive. Even their parking lot was filled with activity. Sheriff cars and buses still filled with farmies that haven’t been transferred to one of the holding cells inside yet, deputies keeping watch among them and close to the main entry a car with an all-girl biker gang around it carrying bows and arrows._

_“Sheriff Jones.”_

_It’s Peaches ’N Cream, one of the girls he knew from her time as a Serpent._

_“We have arrested the Black Hood and Penelope Blossom who had him live with her and probably played house with him and little Dagwood. She tried to run.”_

_He took his phone out of his pocket and checked with Agent Ardelia where the prisoners’ transport was, they had ordered hours ago for Hiram Lodge. He hoped they would take everyone they caught red-handed and give them a little more space for pretty much harmless farmies that hopefully just needed to give their statements and get a little helping of sanity._

_He sent for more deputies to keep watch of the car and take over for the Poisons. With no secure cell to transfer Hal to, they decided to just leave him and Penelope in the trunk._

_FP went inside and getting a single view of the Cooper women in the holding cell, he decided to start with taking their statements. Betty could use their support._

_Alice went willingly with him to one of their improvised interrogation rooms, but once there, she just sat down and seemed to wait for someone else to appear. When he asked her if she was alright, she said she waited for Charles to come._

_She responded well to questions. Keeping them clear and easy, he was able to get a statement out of her, one tiny piece after another. He asked her about the Farm, the surgeries and treatments, everything that came to mind. Her answers were alarming, but he was more disturbed by the way she was answering. She was dulled down; he missed her wit. It was chilling. When he asked about Betty, she said she was having problems, but Edgar was helping her._

_“Alice. Your daughter Betty needs you. She’s in the hospital.”_

_“Betty needs Edgar’s help. He can help her.” She answered as if she didn’t listen to his words._

_“Edgar hurt her. He nearly killed her. She’s in surgery.”_

_Alice just shook her head and stared at the wall beside FP’s face._

_What happened to her? How could she just be this way? “Alice, please.”_

_“Can I see Edgar now?”_

_He brought her back to Polly._

_Needing a breather, he went to the bathroom to hide._

_He checked his phone and found a message from an unknown number; it was from Mary._

_“She’s stable but they couldn’t save her kidney. They’re finishing up the surgery now. Also, it seems like Betty and your son just got engaged by Cheryl. The doctor wouldn’t give info otherwise.”_

_Wondering what to answer, he shook his head. He felt like they were between rocks and hard places all over._

_“I hoped Alice would step up, but I don’t think she can anytime soon. I hate to ask. Is there anything you can do to help with the legal stuff?”_

♕

_News were slow to come. They sat close to each other, waiting, Jellybean arranged herself half on Jughead’s seat, so he put an arm around her shoulders, petting her hair. Cheryl and Toni were leaning against each other. Mary fussed around them and organized for the twins to get proper health check-ups. Before long, Toni started nodding off. Cheryl brushed through her hair worriedly._

_Jughead smiles at them. “She’s been through a great deal. You should bring her home.”_

_Cheryl looked conflicted. She really didn’t want to leave; she was worried about Betty. But Toni needed rest. And blankets._

_He nodded in encouragement. “We’ll be fine without you. And call if there’s news. Go.”_

_“Okay. Can someone call us a car?”_

_“No need, I’ll drive you. I’ve borrowed your car anyway.” Archie stood up. “And then I’ll grab you a change of clothes, Jug. Oh, and you should call Veronica.” He’s standing with his mother, asking her to call him if news came._

_“Arch.” Jellybean said and threw him her house key. He caught it awkwardly._

♕

_They drove in silence and were nearly at the Estate when there’s a sudden sound and the car came to a violent halt. Shaken, Archie got out of the car, followed by a fuming Cheryl. The front tires were busted. In best movie manner, they drove over a spike strip. It’s late and Archie’s always been a little slow, so his first thoughts were about how to fix those tires. He wasn’t worrying about who put that strip on the road or if they were safe. He should have. There was a pain and he was gone._

_When he came to again, he was laid on his side with Toni shaking his shoulder._

_“Cheryl’s gone. Do you remember anything?”_

_She’s got his phone in hand, already calling a number. He didn’t know anything, so he shook his head._

_“Sweet Pea, this is an emergency.” She helped Archie up and they started running into the woods, hoping they’d find Cheryl before anything worse happened._

♕

_Meanwhile and after quite a walk, Cheryl was brought upon the Gargoyle King._

_She had been heralded along by people wearing shrouds and gargoyle masks, forcing her further and further away from the road and into the woods with spears and knives._

_They were at a clearing with a bonfire and strangely grouped poles and sticks forming amateurish mimicries of antlers._

_The Gargoyle King stood tall and proud, looking down at her. Right behind him the fire, his front was clouded in shadow._

_“Finally, we meet again, Sister Cheryl.”_

_The Gargoyle King took off his mask and there it was: Blossom red hair._

_“It’s me. Jason.”_

_Her brain stopped. There was_ Jason _._

_“We can finally be together again. There’s just one last quest left for you, sister. You can’t have both of us, you know? She needs to be gone. It’ll be fast. You never miss. Not since you were nine years old. Do you remember? I was so proud of you, Cheryl.”_

_She did remember._

_Her archery set is brought to her by one of the shrouded persons with gargoyle masks standing right next to her. There are two on each side of her and a handful others around the fire._

_“You’ll only have to kill that one. She’s not good for you.” He speaks gently to her, but his voice is firm and doesn’t allow her to doubt. “Go and find her. She’s still at the car. Kill Toni Topaz and rule beside me, Sister.”_

_“Yeah, sure, Jay-Jay.” Her own voice sounded off to her. Like on autopilot she grabbed the archery set. “Of course, I will Jason.” She turned to go and started walking. One step and another. The gargoyles didn’t move to follow her._

_Then, there’s the sudden sound of motorbikes crashing through the woods. Frantically, the gargoyles watched around them._

_She jumped back around and took aim. “Jason!” She screamed to get his attention. He did as she hoped and turned to her. She led the arrow go._

_The Gargoyle King fell backwards, to the ground and into the fire. He didn’t scream._

_The Serpents and the Poisons were right on site and engaged the last gargoyles in fights. In no time they were unmasked and bound._

_Cheryl walked towards the fire and examined the body. She knew she hit bullseye, right between his eyes. But the upper body was already engulfed in flames._

_It wasn’t her brother; Jason had been dead for over 20 months. Instead, it’s the same guy the Farm used to hurt her. He’s dead now._

_There were anxious shouts behind her. Toni rushed towards her and held her tight._

_When they called Mr. Jones, he swore. Then he called Fred._


	4. Heisting

_Tom and Sierra, still newlywed, left Riverdale about two weeks before. Officially, it was for their slightly belated honeymoon to Hawaii. They had organized Myles McCoy and Kevin’s mother to watch their kids for a week each. With their tickets booked and suitcases packed they drove to Albany International Airport where they posted a couple selfies together on social media and checked in their luggage._

_They’ve never gotten on the plane though. Instead, they’ve gotten a rental van under a fake name with a pair of burner phones and drove nearly all the way back. They were investigating the small-town Athens, where Griffins and Gargoyles had resurfaced and devastated the place for quite some time before it had in Riverdale._

_Tom, always the policeman, even when he stopped working for the force, couldn’t help collecting clues on who might be behind the new rise of Gryphons and Gargoyles and the death of Darryl Doiley’s son. He didn’t keep a full-blown murder board, but a small inconspicuous notebook. He didn’t trust this town not to break into his house again._

_FP had found a couple disturbing pictures his son took while he and Fred’s son were travelling through the area. Athens, of all the places, the same place Tall Boy had hidden himself after Hiram faked his death. He knew that was their chance to find clues about the identity and plans of the Gamemaster. Trusting Fred with the information, but not confident they’d be able to figure everything out by the two of them, they took a leap of faith. They were sure Tom was working the same case they were and was unlikely to be the Gargoyle King._

_They started to work together. They wanted to take on the town’s problem by its antlers and keep their kids safe._

_FP planned to go visit Athens himself and so did Fred. They would have made a good team, but Tom acted as the voice of reason. Together with Sierra he could not only leave the town without raising suspicion, their kids also didn’t have quite the same knack of getting themselves into life threatening trouble Fred’s and FP’s sons had. In addition, FP was the town’s sheriff and if Riverdale ever needed one, it needed one now. All left for them to do was hope the ruse about Tom’s and Sierra’s honeymoon was enough cover from the Gargoyle King._

_It didn’t turn out that well. They barely found anything worth of notice during their first week and called FP every day to report nothing in. When they finally found something, they couldn’t phone in._

_Certain Tom and Sierra could hold their own, but worried nonetheless, FP visited Fred meaning to ask him to keep an eye on his kids and received a strict rebuttal. Riverdale and his kids needed him there. Fred called his wife to check on their son, claimed work-related circumstances and took off with his truck._

_He found their van a day in and soon discovered who was responsible._

_The town was pretty much deserted. Most houses stood abandoned and the streets were empty. Save for a pair of elderly women and a dozen young girl scouts, everyone had left._

_Later, he finds the newlyweds in the local elementary school, chained to the armatures of a shower stall. He frees them both and waits._

_They didn’t fight the kids or the old women. Fred talked with them. He asked them what had happened and what they wanted. He tried to help and made them see reason. They discussed options. He promised to take the grandmothers and the girls back to Riverdale and that he would do everything he could to find their lost families. No one would be left alone to take care of themselves again. Not under his watch. They’d be taken care of._

_The girls agreed keeping a set of stand-in parental figures chained in a bath wasn’t their best option and they decided to leave Athens the next morning, together, after everyone got a good night’s sleep._

_Early that day, Fred wasn’t quite awake yet, his phone rang. FP needed them to come back._

♕

_The regional police forces and the FBI were working hand in hand on all their cases for the time being. Agent Ardelia and the FBI seized everything the Farm owned and another FBI team from out of state was deployed that day to Riverdale to comb through everything they found on the site and interrogate everyone they held in custody as well as practically everyone else in town. The horrors unearthed at the Farm made the case deemed a federal one._

_Of course, they had tons of obvious evidence, including the walk-in fridge full of organs. It was already enough to send Edgar Evernever to prison for life. Then, there was a lot they needed to examine carefully and what might indicate blame on some of the farmies, too. They found strange chore rosters and members’ guides stating what everyone was expected to do for the Farm, as well as meticulously kept books meant to document the movements of the Farm’s financial matters and merchandise, also explicitly stating who did what and when. Then there were the tapes upon tapes of what the cult called testimonies. They hoped it’d help determining who had known and assisted in the organ farming and who was a to-be-harvested victim._

_Agent Ardelia and her team were still officially working Hiram Lodge’s case, but had prioritized the emergencies for the time being. The Riverdale Police arrested the Gargoyles and recovered the body of the Gargoyle King before doing a quick sweep through the woods to see whether they had left additional clues or had a camp somewhere._

_FP oversaw the Black Hood being sent back to Shankshaw Prison’s security tract with a couple new murder charges on his record. Hiram Lodge and Edgar Evernever as well as his nurses were on the same prisoner’s transport as him for their further imprisonment upon trial outside of the town of Riverdale._

_He stared after the transport for a couple minutes, deep in thought._

♕

_Tom, Fred and Sierra headed straight to the Sheriff Station when they arrived back in Riverdale, driving the Andrews’ truck, the rented van and a small bus they found on site. With them, they brought a dozen young girls and two elderly women._

_FP awaited them at the entrance, looking tired and drawn. “It’s good to see you back.”_

_“It’s good to be back, brother.” Fred wrapped him in a manly hug, patting his shoulder. “How’re you holding up the fort?”_

_“The town still stands.” He sighed and stopped them from entering the station. “Let’s head next door. The accounting company lets us use their conference room. In here it’s still crowded hell.” He looked over at one of his deputies. “Terry, can you have breakfast brought over? For about twenty people. Kid-friendly options, not just coffee.”_

_“Is it too much to hope for a breakfast from Pop’s?” Fred jokes._

_“Not today. Probably for the last time in while though. This last night was crazy. I’ll tell you later.”_

_They headed over and were greeted by Ms. Weiss, the social worker._

_The girls were nervous and a bit scared, the elderly ladies exhausted. Taking their statements after a big hearty breakfast to break the ice had been Ms. Weiss idea and it worked out well._

_The girls spoke openly and freely, and the elderly ladies added what information they could. The case was still very odd, but they’d figure it out. For the time being they would be staying at the Riverdale Youth Hostel, the same place the boy scouts were staying at. Ms. Weiss would ensure they’d be taken care of until their families were found, and a deputy was deployed to guarantee their safety._

_When they were just about done, FP got a call from Terry, it was for Ms. Weiss. They found another lost boy in the woods. His name was Ricky._

_Sierra stayed after, wanting to offer Ms. Weiss her help as both a mother and an attorney._

_The men waited outside in the corridor, and FP had a list of things burning in his mind, he needed to catch his old friends up to speed with. He should wait for Sierra to join them for most of it, but there was one thing- “I know you’ve resigned from the job, Tom. But I need you on the team. I want you to lead the G &G investigation.”_

_“Me? Why? I’m out.” Tom said, leaning against one of the walls. “I coach boxers now.”_

_“And you helped instruct the Serpents. It needs to be one of us. And you’re the only one capable.”_

_Tom laughs. “You are. You’re the Sheriff.”_

_“And I’m drowning in cases. I need you. It’s pretty bad right now.”_

_Just then Sierra left the conference room and viewed them worriedly for a moment. Her court poker face in place, she smiled at Ms. Weiss and waved her out. She turned back to the men. “What is going on?”_

_They moved back into the conference room and FP got another cup of coffee._

_“First off, your sons are okay, and Josie wasn’t involved in any of this.” FP said it to soothe any incoming uncertainties, but his sentence had the opposite effect. Instantly all three were worried and at the edge of their seats they just took again._

_“It’s- Hal Cooper escaped from a prisoner transport two days after you two left town.” He said looking at Tom and Sierra. “Then last night, as far as I know, Archie, Veronica and the FBI made up a scheme to get Hiram Lodge caught. There was a boxing match involved, Archie looks a bit worse for wear but he’s fine. It worked out, Hiram’s back in Shankshaw Prison. I got the call he arrived and was behind bars half an hour before you showed up. So is Hal Cooper. Sometime last night the local girl-gang and Archie met him at the Blossom Estate and subdued him and Penelope. She’s in the Greendale Jail for now. Early this morning they and the Serpents took on the Gargoyle King and his goons. The King is dead, and we have incarcerated the others.” He took a calming breath. That was the easy part. “Later yesterday evening I got a call from Jughead. About the Farm. It’s- It’s been bad. Real bad. They’re an organ farming cult.” His friends lost all their posture. “We were just in time to save Betty’s life. We have detained everyone involved and all their victims. We’re still trying to sort through who’s who.”_

_They were speechless, nodding along, listening, thinking, but unable to voice their thoughts._

_“Tom, Kevin is one of them.”_

_Tom felt as if the chair he was sitting on and the floor underneath his feet just disappeared. “What?” He croaked._

_“He appears physically fine, but he seems to be under the influence of drugs and hypnosis. Most of them are and a few have already snapped out of it. I’m sure it’s just a matter of time.”_

_Tom nodded and held on tight to Sierra’s hand, trying to ground himself._

_“He’s still at the station. He was a bit hostile before, but maybe seeing you will help to calm him.” At Tom’s nod he went on. “I should try calling your ex-wife again. She didn’t answer the phone when I tried earlier.”_

_Sierra jumped in. “I can do that. I’ll have to check on Josie anyway.”_

_FP smiled in thanks. She took one of their burner phones out and tried their house phone. No one answered. She sighed. “I’ll just head home and talk to her in person.” Checking up on Tom once more, she added in a softer voice: “Will you be okay without me here?” He nodded._

_“We’ll keep an eye on him.” Fred said._

♕

_Sierra found their home empty. She didn’t quite understand at first, but their house had been vacant for almost the same time as she’s been gone with Tom. There was old fruit out on their table and a single glass of milk in the sink, that seemed quite solid. Where was her daughter?_

_Grabbing their house phone, she tried calling her on her mobile, but the call didn’t connect. She tried calling Kevin’s mother, but the call went straight to voice mail. A robotic voice told her she couldn’t reach her for the time being as she just left the country on an urgent short-notice tour and to try again in May._

_Sierra looked stunned at their phone. Kevin’s mother should have been in Riverdale this week. What was going on? She remembered they had an emergency number for her, somewhere. She was looking it up when the phone rang. It was Josie._

_“Hey Kev, I was wondering when you’d finally call.” She sounded relaxed and happy._

_“Josie?!” Sierra sounded distraught._

_“Mom? I thought you’d be coming back tomorrow?”_

_“Where are you Josie?”_

♕

_Seeing Kevin in the cell was a shock._

_Dressed in an off-white the Farm-themed shirt, he seemed relaxed and held hands with Fangs Fogarty, the Southside Serpent wrongfully accused of murdering Midge Klump. He looked in his direction and should have seen him, but even when Tom waved at him, he didn’t react. Only his lips were moving constantly._

_Tom stepped closer and heard everyone in the cells murmur over and over the same phrase._

_“May the one become many, and the many one.”_

_It was chilling._

_“May the one become many, and the many one.”_

_Since when was Kevin with that cult? He heard him sneak out at night all the time, but every time he assumed, he was meeting up with Moose and decided to turn a blind eye on it. Did he stop dating Moose? When did Kevin stop telling him such things?_

_It wasn’t making anything easier, when his wife called and told him that his ex-wife never showed up and her daughter left town with Myles on day three to finally get a head start on her music career._

_Why had everything worked out so horribly wrong?_

♕

_“May the one become many, and the many one.”_

_There was the sound of steps on heels behind him._

_“God. Get those cultists to shut up! Sheriff Jones, finally.”_

_He turns. It’s Cheryl Blossom, hair a mess, tired and absolutely furious._

_“It’s nearly noon. I need to get my girlfriend home. We’ve been awake for over 30 hours and we’re tired. You’ve seen her twelve hours ago. I’m worried she could get sick.” She looks over into one of the bureaus used as interrogation rooms and back at FP. “And all your deputies do is treat me like a crazy person. I told them twice now that they must separate those farmies. They can’t have them infect each other again and again with Edgar’s bullshit. Any sane thought they could have gets instantly drowned in the others’ insane mumblings. The only reason Betty got me to sanity again was that she talked to me on my own. Or maybe because she brought me a human heart as proof. That was rather sobering come to think of it.”_

_The two of them watched the people in the cells for a moment together._

_“The redheaded one over there is Evelyn Evernever. She’s Edgar’s wife. She’s 26, but she went to Riverdale High pretending to be seventeen. To lure students to their Chop Shop.” She looked directly at FP, invoking his compliance with honesty. “Please. Get her away from them. She’s still poisoning their brains with more mind control crap.” She paused, rethinking. “Or get my LGBTQIA friends as well as my aunt and cousin out of there.”_

_“Noted.” FP smiled in thanks. “Terry.” He called his left-hand deputy over. “Why is the red haired one in the corner still with the others? Has she been interrogated yet?”_

_“We’re still working on the statements of the girls from the woods.” Terry explained._

_“Why? I thought that case was clear four hours ago?”_

_“Their stories didn’t align-“ Terry started, but was interrupted by Cheryl._

_“Your deputies were doubting every single one of my words ever since I told them I shot the Gargoyle King but couldn’t identify the man under the mask. He claimed he was Jason. And_ you _know as well as me that my brother is dead. It was dark and he stood in front of the fire. I couldn’t see much more but shadows.” She explains and obviously has done so a couple of times. “But it was the same guy the cult used on me during their hypno-abuse. They made me believe Jason was still alive and was talking with me. I even believed that murder video with my father was fake. The room they did that to me in was dark and they only lit a few candles. I’ve never seen his face without shadow. But I know what I saw. It was the same guy.”_

_FP nodded and looked at Terry in question as if to ask where the problem was._

_“Yeah. No one believes her because she said she shot him with an arrow between the eyes.” Terry stated._

_FP waited for a moment, but when he said nothing more, he couldn’t help but ask. “And? What’s the deal?”_

_As if the problem was obvious, Terry said: “There was no arrow. And who shoots anyone with an arrow?!”_

_“A skilled archer? And you_ said _the upper body was burned, Terry. Wood burns.”_

_“Maybe. But she’s not a star archer, she’s what? A cheerleader?” Terry said hot tempered._

_FP sighed. “I know you’re tired Terry, but don’t be ignorant. If that’s the only issue you’ve got, let the girls get home. Now.” He groaned. “And Terry, for the record: Ms. Blossom would have better aim right now than you on a better day.”_

_Cheryl raised a brow at Terry contemptuously._

_“And to think I didn’t believe Alice when she said sexism was still a problem today.” FP cursed under his breath, shaking his head._

_Cheryl smiled in thanks. “Can I use a phone to call us a car?”_

_“No need.” Fred jumped into the conversation, having been privy to it as everyone else in the crowded corridor. “I’ll drive you. Then, I’ll check on everyone waiting at the hospital.”_

_“Thank you, Mr. Andrews. Have there been any news on Betty?”_

♕

_Fred drove Cheryl and Toni home to Thistlehouse, where Nana Rose was happy to see them again and then drove on to the hospital to check on the kids._

_They’re sitting close together in the waiting room and some were so obviously exhausted._

_Jughead looked up and gave him a forced smile accompanied with a “Mr. A.” which caused most others to look up, too._

_Archie sat on one side of Jughead and stood up to greet him. Both looked worse for wear, Archie’s boxing match and a brawl or two on Jughead’s side apparent._

_“Dad. You’re back.” They hugged._

_Jellybean was fast asleep and lay across a few seats on the other side of Jughead with her head nestled against him. Across from them sat Veronica and Marty Mantle’s son, greeting him friendly. Mary sat next to them, two napping toddlers in baby car seats in front of her._

_She smiled at him and he couldn’t help smiling back._

_“Polly’s?” He mouthed in question and got a nod in return._

_He sighed. The poor kids._

_“Are there any news yet?” He asked quietly but got a mutual headshaking in return._

_“Not really.” Jughead answered. “She’s stable and out of surgery. They keep promising I could see her soon, but...” He sighed._

_Fred put a hand on his shoulder in support. Looking at Jellybean he asked. “Shall I drive some of you home? Jellybean looks as if she’s in need of a bed.”_

_Jughead nodded. “That would be great, Mr. A.”_

_“Good. Who else? The twins, Mary? I only have a three-seater, but I can take multiple trips.”_

_“Oh.” Reggie said. “I should have offered before. I’ve got a fiver. I can drive.”_

_Before Jughead can shake Jellybean awake, Archie’s up and in front of him, offering to carry her to the car. Reggie and Mary take the twins and lead the way._

_Fred said he’d look for a doctor and try to find out what was going on and left them too, for the moment._

_Just the two of them for the time being, Veronica got up and sat next to Jughead._

_“I’m so scared for Betty.”_

_He grabs her hand. “Me too.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, this chapter was so hard to write. Let me know what you think, I might be a bit insecure about parentdale. I mean, where did all that content come from? And why was my solution for explaining absentee parents to invent more parentless kids? Help me.


	5. Dreaming

It’s dark. Someone is behind her, carrying a knife and chasing her. He’s coming closer. She stumbles and falls. She can’t get up but turns on her back, hoping to defend herself. She sees his face and stops. It’s Kevin. She sees a shadow, and there’s Polly behind her, carrying another knife. They come closer and closer. There is a hand on her arm. She trashes and wakes.

It’s late and there’s a nurse trying to fix her up with a new infusion.

“No, leave me alone!” She starts screaming and tries to defend herself for real.

The nurse backs away.

Jughead comes from the other side and starts talking calmly.

“Betty? Betts. It’s fine. You’re safe. Hey.”

Jughead gets her to look at him and gently presses her back into the bed by her shoulders.

“Oh god. I was back at the- back at the-“ She stammers, breathing heavily, heart beating frantically. “Kevin was- and Polly...”

“It was just a dream. You’re safe now.” He holds her hand and traces circles with his thumb into her skin. “I’m here. I won’t let anyone get you.”

Slowly she calms and the nurse changes her infusion.

She can’t fall back asleep. He’s a bit scared.

So, they talk.

“Kevin was... After I got Cheryl to see reason, she went to get Toni out of her ‘treatment’ and I went to get Kevin and Fangs. But they... they didn’t believe me. How could Kevin not believe me?” She makes eye contact with him and stares as if somewhere there could be an explanation in his eyes. Then, she looks at the other side of the room, as if scanning the area. “I got a bad feeling and wanted to leave, but they had me cut off from the doors. I tried to run, but they weren’t having it and held me down, calling Edgar.” She flexes her arms as if she still felt them holding her down. “They were so much stronger than me. And then other farmies came and helped them. They already had me overpowered! And they bring me to that room-“

She stops there and it takes everything in him not to climb onto the hospital bed to hold her, worried about disrupting her position, the infusion or even popping her stitches. She had so many stitches.

He gets closer though, as close as he can and holds her face in his hands, brushing a couple tears away. He says nothing, thinking.

She looks to the side again. There’s nothing there. Then she presses her face harder against his hands, sniffling. She’s so tired and having him that close to her calms her.

♕

Hermione Lodge has arranged for all of the members left from the Midnight Club to meet Monday morning. Wanting to keep the meeting low profile, they end up meeting at the Joneses’ House. Jughead is still staying with Betty and Jellybean has school, so they have room to talk freely.

They sit in the living room, the same one they met in when the G&G mess just began again, a room that was so different now. Where Alice had light and flowery decoration and kept books to impress guests with a distinct reputation the Joneses have a less distinguished style and a remarkable collection of records to fill the space.

Skeptically eyeing the room, Marty Mantle sits in the armchair closest to the door. “Alice and Penelope didn’t even bother to come? Why do I have to be here?”

“Penelope is in jail.” FP says and seems to surprise not just him but Hermione too. “She kept Hal Cooper hidden on the Blossom Estate and was arrested Friday night. Alice is currently- incapable.”

That earns him an unimpressed brow raise by Marty, but Hermione moves on.

“And as you all know, Hiram was imprisoned Friday evening. That makes the six of us the current complete set.”

“And? Why are we here? It’s over isn’t it? The Gargoyle King is dead.”

“I hope so.” FP answers, leaning against the side of the couch. “We still don’t know his identity yet, but Dr. Curdle said it’s unlikely the guy was over the age of thirty. It couldn’t have been the same person as Ascension Night.”

“Do you think we still need to worry about someone pulling the strings?” Hermione asks, sitting in the other armchair.

“We arrested everyone we could connect to it. Mostly older boy scouts.” Tom explains, leaning against the other side of the couch. “We’re investigating, but it doesn’t seem to lead anywhere.”

Hermione nods in response, thinking.

“Frankly, I’m more worried about this organ farming cult.” Sierra stated; voice hard.

FP sighs. “Yeah. There might even be a link. Cheryl testified she saw the guy behind the mask at the Farm before. We have arrested everyone there Friday night. The FBI is leading the investigation, but I’ll keep an eye on it.”

“What’s with Riverdale High staying closed today?” Fred asks from the couch. “Is that connected to anything?”

Hermione exhales. “It is. There will be an official announcement later today, but... Principal Weatherbee is part of the _Farm_. There is evidence that they used the school for recruiting.”

Fred groans and stares at the ground, stunned.

Marty finds his voice again. “What parts of the rumors are true? There’re talks about organ farming- I know that’s obviously-“

FP stops him. “Mantle. It’s worse than the rumors. Betty’s still in hospital.”

They don’t stay long afterwards. Sierra stops Fred before he can stand up. “Mary is still in town, right? I’m drowning in custody cases. Do you think she’d be willing to step in? I could need a good partner.”

He nods and smiles. “I’ll tell her to call you.” He heads home, but just behind the door Hermione waits for him.

“Do you have another moment?”

♕

Betty is sure she was just nodding off to a silly gardening show, but when she comes to the tv is off. She looks left; Jughead is watching her and grins.

“Good morning again.”

She grins back. She had a good nap and already feels better, more lucid. Lucid enough to notice Jughead is being a bit nervous.

“You’ve got good timing actually. My father wants to come over in a bit. I think mostly to check on you. But officially he’ll come to take care of some legal procedures. He still needs your statement.” He holds her hand and she’s not sure if it is to calm her or him.

“Betty? The only reason the hospital lets me stay with you is that Cheryl lied.”

That was a fast change of topic.

“When- when you were in surgery, they told dad how you were doing. But only because he was the sheriff that brought you in. When he left for the station they stopped. Archie said Cheryl tried to play the cousin angle and every other one she could think of. The one that worked was, well, me.”

“You?”

“Or us? She told them we were engaged.”

She blinks.

“Only reason they let me stay in here all day.”

“Oh? I Thought... maybe my mom told them-“

He shakes his head. “No, she’s still...”

“At the Farm?!” Betty’s instantly back in fight or flight mode and about to get up. “We need to get her out of there-“

“No. The Farm’s history.” Jughead calms her and puts a hand on her shoulder to press her slightly back into the pillow. “Edgar’s in prison and they’ve got everyone out of there. Your mother is safe. Polly, too. And Cheryl’s taking care of the twins.”

Betty breathes. “That’s good. That’s so good. One problem less to worry about.”

“Actually Betts.” He starts and leans conspiratorially closer. “If I’m right, there might be none left. Archie helped arrest the Black Hood.”

She exhales heavily.

“He’s back in Shankshaw Prison. The Gargoyle King was unmasked. And before that, Ronnie and Archie have somehow gotten Hiram Lodge investigated by the FBI and taken into custody.”

She looks a bit overwhelmed and wants to know what had happened.

“All of that in one night?” There surely are stories waiting to be told. For the time being though she is content knowing her father is back behind bars and the time Riverdale’s kids played G&G is finally over. She smiles.

“As I’ve been told. When you didn’t answer your phone, I got worried.”

She holds his hand tightly. “I knew you’d come for me.” She gestures towards the bruise on Jughead’s face. “I assume that wasn’t Jason’s casket?”

“Nah.” Jughead answers monosyllabic. “But you know what? Next time you find a fridge full of human organs or other horrible shit, you don’t send me on a side quest. We’re a team. You tell me first. We should have come for you right away.”

There’s a knock at the door, it opens and FP leans against the frame.

“Hey Betty. It’s good to see you awake.”

He _is_ mostly there to check on her and his son and hardly speaks of the Farm at first. But then he starts telling them how the investigation was led by an FBI team with specialists in human and organ trafficking.

Betty nods. That was good. Specialists would uncover everything. They’d solve-

She looks up, right at FP. “There might be a problem, Mr. Jones. The Farm kept _testimony_ tapes for every member. Mom told them every secret she had. Including Ascension Night and the _shady_ _man_.”

“Why would she-“ FP groaned and hid half of his face in his hands. That could blow up in their faces. Thinking, he realized something else. It might be a possible lead. “Who had access to those tapes?”

“I don’t know, they were behind a locked door. But apparently everyone there knows. Both Evelyn and Kevin tried to blackmail me with it.”

Jughead is surprised and worried hearing Kevin’s name yet again. What else was he involved in? He has always been Betty’s best friend.

“I liberated mom’s, Polly’s and Cheryl’s tapes. Edgar said they had copies or could make new ones easily.” Betty tells them. “And I think Edgar used _hypnotherapy_ for some of those. He tried it one me.”

“With sound?” Jughead asks.

She nods. “And he had Polly dress up as me.” Betty explains. “He used her to make me believe I was talking to myself. She said horrible things. I guess he wanted to make me believe them and maybe give him a fake testimony?”

The Jones men nod, thinking.

“Are you up for giving me your official statement?” FP asks and when she nods goes on. “Let’s start with when you first moved to the Farm.”

♕

They don’t come that far, and Betty is awfully tired when FP leaves. She sleeps for another few hours. When she wakes, she doesn’t feel better. Her arms are heavy and hurt, her stomach is even worse. Someone holds her upper arm down to the mattress, but when she looks over to check who it is, the space is empty.

Jughead sits at her other side and looks worried when he sees her.

“Betty?”

“I’m not feeling well Jug.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think?  
> I plan on posting the next chapter in about two weeks, give or take. I don't want to rush things again, so I'd like to sit on it for a while.  
> I currently have over 15k written and another 5k in an extra plotting file - this obviously still needs tons of work. And I promise, I'm on it.
> 
> Feedback feeds the writer's soul. Honestly I hold all of your comments in so high regard. They make my days. Thank you so much.


	6. Worrying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, a new chapter and a minor edit update: I've added a scene to chapter one. It's nothing crucial, you don't have to go back to read it, but I hope it'll make the chapter feel a bit more complete and well rounded.

The townsfolk of Riverdale were horrified once the news about the Farm was made public. How could something so bad happen right in front of them? As if the reappearance of the Black Hood and the weird cultish deaths in the forest weren’t enough. People didn’t know what to do.

Sierra McCoy teamed up with Mary Andrews to ensure the kids hurt by the Farm or the Gargoyle King were legally and physically taken care of. This included the feral boy scouts Jughead still had nightmares about as well as the girl scouts Fred had saved her and Tom from. As it turned out most of their parents worked under adhesion contracts for Hiram Lodge, who assured them their children were well taken care of. They were shocked to learn that wasn’t the case. The information was happily forwarded to the FBI. Together with the social worker Ms. Weiss they made sure every kid came back into a good home and those without were taken care of regardless.

Riverdale High remains closed for the time being. The FBI had arrested its director with the other farmies and found evidence at the Sisters of Quiet Mercy for the near-exclusive recruitment through the school. Before they would let anyone back in there, they wanted to make sure the remaining staff and school clubs were safe and sane. They also want to reopen the school with a new director and better school therapists and advisers already on site.

The officers had heeded Cheryl’s advice and separated Evelyn from the other inmates. After thoroughly interrogating her they decided to send her to the Greendale Correctional Facility, away from the victims. Already seeing a positive effect on the prisoners, the FBI decided to use the seized Lodge Detention Center to have more room to split them up further and treat them individually.

The state sent a taskforce of psychologists and therapists to Riverdale to assist the Farm’s victims with their recovery and sorting through their potentially messed-with memories. In addition, they help comb through the multitude of horrifying truths the FBI unearthed in the Farm’s archives.

Most victims of the Farm weren’t held in jail for long. After everyone got a health check-up, those with families able to take care of them were allowed to go home unless they needed further medical assistance, help to regain their sanity or had proof of criminal activities attached to their name. Those without a family to return to were taken care of by specialists.

Especially those who have been with the Farm for a long time, made slower progress than others and would need to stay with them for a bit longer.

At the same time the FBI team around Agent Ardelia worked layer after layer through Hiram Lodge’s crime imperium.

♕

FP spends his early afternoon checking on a few of the Farm’s victims at the Lodge Detention Centre and finalizing a couple of their releases. He’s especially glad he can let the Keller and Fogarty boys go. They had it harder than most others. Both of them had been reported as violent on site. Since they resisted their arrests and tried to help Evelyn flee, the FBI didn’t prioritize their transfer and they were forced to spend an extra night in the small jail cell at the station.

Before that, both had lost a kidney. The operation being done by Edgar who was a mostly self-taught _surgeon_ with tools and techniques common forty years ago, left them with huge scars across their sides. Their doctor assured them it healed okay and they would be able to live a normal life, but advised them to stop playing contact sports, which meant Kevin would probably drop out of the school’s ringing team and Fangs should stop boxing.

Kevin Keller’s release is an easy one. His father and stepmother were obviously a safe home to release him to. It was less simple with Fangs Fogarty. When his family’s trailer had burned down, they had lost their legal home and hadn’t regained one since. To allow someone’s release, especially a minor’s, the FBI wanted proof of a good home and reliable supervision. His still recovering mother couldn’t provide that.

Since the two boys were so very close a solution was soon found: Tom and Sierra offered to host him.

FP was glad they did. Fangs was a good kid and has been through enough already.

The two of them arrive with Sierra’s car, Tom’s is still at the airport. Once their paperwork is done and Tom and Sierra signed a document saying they’d make sure the boys would attend their strict therapy appointments, they can finally meet them.

Tom holds Kevin in a long, firm hug and is visibly unwilling to let go of him again.

“Hello Fangs. It’s good to see you. We’re glad you’ll be staying with us.” Sierra offers Fangs a professional smile and a friendly one-armed side-hug.

Before they leave, FP gives Fangs a one-armed hug as well. “You keep your head up boy.”

♕

After FP had supervised the releases of the day, he goes to check on Polly and visit Alice. He hadn’t been to see her since the statement he took.

“You’re the first to visit her, Sheriff Jones.” The officer organizing the visitation documentation states.

FP doesn’t like the sound of that. “Was she in solitude since she was brought here?”

The officer hastes to clarify. “Oh no not at all. All of them receive a couple of scheduled visits throughout the day. One half by therapists, the other by their friends and family or by volunteers, just to keep them company. The goal of keeping them in cells of their own isn’t to isolate them, it is to keep the risk of reinfection with the cults dangerous teachings low.” He sounds as if he read a script, maybe he is reciting one. “When there’s no therapist with Ms. Smith there’s usually one of our volunteers sitting with her to keep her company. The FBI’s very strict with their requirements in this case. Please go in. She’s in B21.”

“And Ms. Cooper?”

“A neighbor visited her this morning. She’s in B19.”

Standing outside of her room, he watches her for a moment through the prison bars. Of all the places he thought Alice would never end up in; it is surreal to see her locked up in a prison. She clearly is still struggling. She sits at the small table in her cell and does a jigsaw puzzle.

He knocks at the door frame. “Hey Alice.”

She reacts slowly, and only after she places another puzzle piece. She looks up and appears disappointed once she sees him.

“You’re not my son,” She says it without irony or bite, instead she sounds sad.

FP swallows a lump in his throat. “No, I’m not.”

“I usually meet him after lunch.” She speaks conversationally, but slower than he is used to from her.

“When you were at the farm?”

“Yes. He is still there. I miss him. I want to go back.” She keeps looking up.

FP wants to make sure he gets the detail right. “To the nunnery?”

“No, to my son.” She sounds pained.

He has trouble reacting and swallows. It was his son, too, but he isn’t emotionally where she is. The thought hurts anyway. “What about your daughters?”

“What about them?”

“Don’t you miss them? Polly is just a floor over. And have you heard about Betty yet?” He starts. “She is still in hospital, but she has woken up and is feeling much better.”

Alice dismisses it. “Of course, she does. Edgar has helped her.”

“Your Edgar tried to _kill_ her.” He doesn’t want to appear angry in front of her, but he can’t help his voice getting harder. He sighs and tries to shake it off. “Betty will be better soon. I’ll check for you on Polly. If you need anything have someone call me.”

Polly was in much better shape. She sat on the bed, apparently bored and read a fantasy novel.

He knocked.

“Oh, Mr. Jones. How is my dear Betty?”

When he’s back at the entry office, he asks why Polly is still held captive. Don’t they know she has two little kids waiting for her?

“Of course, we do. She hasn’t mentioned them once, but it’s all in her file.” The officer said. “She acts very differently as the other cult victims. I don’t know anything about her case though. You should talk to her therapists.”

♕

It took them a few hours to figure it out. From taking her blood pressure and temperature to redressing her surgical wound, they tested what they could. It was confusing and scary – and Jughead could do nothing but stand on the sidelines, cycling between being sent out of the room and waiting just outside of the door, and hurrying back in once the doctors were done with a test and left to discuss the next one. They were checking for infection and if the healing was going accordingly. There wasn’t an apparent physical explanation why she suffered pain.

Ever since Betty was brought to the emergency room, the doctors were worried there might be complications. There was the severity of her injuries to worry about, then the blood loss, Edgar’s amazingly professional incompetence, the fact that there was a fistfight right next to her cut open body and all the possible points for contamination with grave dirt. But it wasn’t any of these causing her symptoms. It wasn’t related to the Chop Shop at all. Of all the things it could have been, it was Adderall withdrawal.

When the doctors told them the news, it was a surprise.

At first, Betty didn’t understand. But when she did, _she did_. This was bad. She certainly fucked up.

“Your doctor, Dr. Patel sent us your file. We understand that you used to take Adderall as part of your ADHD treatment?”

“Yes?” Ever since her mother showed up with them the second time and told her to take them.

“Do you remember what your last dosages were?”

Higher than they should have been. Higher than those Dr. Patel kept prescribing her.

“Mr. Jones, I must ask you to leave the room.” The doctor interpreted her silence as a sign she wanted privacy for the conversation.

“No. Stay.” She grabs for his hands with one of hers. “It was about twice what I was prescribed.” She sighs. “And I didn’t follow the treatment plan. In addition to around breakfast and lunch, I took them before everything important, everything I didn’t want to fail at.” She closes her eyes in shame. “Recently that was before everything.”

Jughead holds her hand tightly.

“I assume you took your last dose Friday?”

She nods. “Yes. Before I went to Cheryl. That evening.”

The doctor nods, in return, thinking.

“Usually we would reduce your Adderall intake over time until you’d stop taking the drug completely.” The doctor explains. “But with your last dose being taken on Friday and now it’s Monday, you’re already most of the way through day three. The third day is generally when the withdrawal symptoms are the most severe. That’s why I would propose we stick with this hard detox.” He pauses. “It’s not great timing. Putting your body through both the drug detox and the healing at the same time, but your symptoms won’t get worse than they are right now.”

She nods, swallowing.

“You’re saying it is a physical addiction?” Jughead phrased it as a statement, but it’s a question, nonetheless. With his father’s history, addiction and withdrawal are a hard pill to swallow and he struggles to understand. Betty has never been the one to use drugs. She hardly drank, and usually only one glass for social reasons. She never took drugs, didn’t smoke. She always declined. She wasn’t an addict. But she was.

“It’s usually both physical and psychological.” And the doctor explains further.

The good news is they can help ease the symptoms for the time being. It shouldn’t become worse. They can help her. Right now, with medical treatments for the physical symptoms and also with therapy for the psychological ones.

But she would need to go through a process. Much like his father had. This was a real thing.

It took his father months and a couple starts to finally get through it and he still sometimes saw him struggling. The whole process was such a mess. He doesn’t want the same for Betty.

He’s in dire need of some parenting.

♕

With not just La Bonne Nuit closed, but Riverdale High as well, Veronica spends her sudden free time split between the hospital and her mother’s office. Or maybe truer between taking care of Betty (and Jughead who needs frequent feeding because he doesn’t do it himself) and helping with the final take down of Hiram Lodge. For this time, it needs to stick. She can’t do it all over again. She’s determined she won’t need to.

She’s the organization center. If someone wants to visit Betty, they tell her and ask for a time slot. Well, at least their classmates do and it’s great. Betty is still so tired and usually doesn’t appreciate the visits for long, but she feels like they actually do boost her spirits up. Most importantly, they don’t hurt and often lead to Jughead taking a bit of a break from worrying and eating something instead.

Also, she can control who gets to see Betty and who doesn’t. She likes being in control of something. She assumes Betty only really cares about seeing her, Archie and Jughead, and maybe Cheryl and Toni, if only as proof that she did manage to save them. So, most time slots only go towards them and family. Once Betty’s a bit better she plans to offer one time slot a day to less close friends, since she does get quite a few inquiries.

Friends from school usually get a “she can’t have visitors now, but please call again at the end of the week”-response from her, ex-farmies get told Betty doesn’t take visitors. No matter who it is, the only exceptions she makes, are for those who were involved in saving her. There weren’t many inquiries, but she had two by people who weren’t with the Farm for long and didn’t even know Betty but felt like she saved them. Betty did, but she shouldn’t have to deal with them and their strange blend of gratitude and guilt, that was -as she assumed- mostly obsessiveness. She expects Kevin to call soon.

She gets first pick of timeslots, too. She decided to claim the one in the late afternoon for herself and Reggie. That way they can deliver some mild entertainment for Betty and take out for Jughead.

Today around lunch, she got a message from Cheryl saying that she wasn’t allowed to see Betty. That was a first, but she chooses not to be worried. Jughead would have called if something bad had happened.

When she arrives later, both Betty and Jughead are much quieter than they usually are. It’s all very off. She watches them worriedly and decides to play happy over it all. If her only win for Betty today is being a distraction, that’s fine.

“Reggie is waiting for you in the lobby, Jug. Today’s special is Chinese from the small place that used to be on the Southside.”

That gets his attention. “Wu’s place? They moved to Greendale when-“

She nods and smiles. “Exactly where we’ve been today. I think there’s a note for you, too. The food’s actually pretty good, you should hurry, or Reggie might eat it yours.”

She can see he’s on the brink of declining when Betty smiles at him. “Go get some dinner.”

Jughead hesitates but leaves mouthing “look after her” as he does.

She tries for light and shallow. “I don’t know what you did today, but I went to Greendale to-“

Betty is not feeling light. When Veronica looks back at her she’s distraught.

“Vee...”

She moves to the side without an IV line, so she can get closer if she has to. She feels like she will.

“It’s just, just some bad news but I... I don’t know what to do.”

♕

Betty is already asleep when FP can make it to the hospital. He lightly taps on the doorframe and Jughead looks up. He’s out of his seat and nearly at the corridor before he turns and checks one last time on Betty. She is still fast asleep.

In the corridor he swallows and says. “Dad. It’s pretty bad.”

♕

Officially Fangs stays in Josie’s room, but later that night finds him and Kevin side by side on their backs in Kevin’s narrow bed, shoulders pressed together. They had spent two whole days apart and it unsettled them. Neither could remember what they did before they had been close all the time. And that was odd. They know they haven’t been dating for that long. They only started in the rehearsal week for this year’s musical.

That was what? Less than two months ago? It was hard to wrap their heads around. It felt like they have been together for all of their life. But they weren’t. Actually-

“I think I ruled out ever dating you for your name alone.” Kevin says. “I mean _Fangs_. What kind of name is that? Doesn’t actually evoke trust to let you get too close to me, you know.”

Fangs laughed. “Scared of a snake bite with your blowjob?”

“What? No!” Kevin protests, but laughs as well. “I meant like vampire bites on my neck!”

Fangs smiles but sobers a bit. “Joaquin gave it to me. When I joined the Serpents the rattlesnake that bit me lost a fang in my hand. Bled like hell. See, I still have the scar.” He holds his hand out for Kevin to see. “Fangs Fogarty had a nice ring to it, so it stuck.”

Kevin grabs his hand and turns it a bit in the dim light. The scar was hardly visible. “It’s just so... Obvious.”

“It’s an alliteration, Kevin Keller. I thought _you_ ’d understand those.” He jokes. “This town is obsessed with them. Of course, the name stuck.”

“Imagine calling your son Archie if you’re named Andrews.”

“Or Toni if you’re the third Thomas-”

They sigh together. The thought of Toni and Jughead a painful reminder of what they had done to them.

“I don’t get how we acted that night.” Fangs starts. “What was wrong with us? Why did we act like that? We pretty much just attacked them. For no reason.”

“I thought- they were a danger. To Edgar.” Kevin considers, starring at the ceiling. “How weird. We should have been worried for them. They had dark dirt everywhere. And- wasn’t Toni barefoot?”

Fangs lays beside him, sightlessly watching the air, breathing, deep in thought. “Do you think there actually was hypnosis involved?”

“What makes you think that?”

“Betty said something about that, didn’t she? At breakfast?” They were still looking in the air. “What if it was hypnosis?”

“If it really was hypnosis...” Kevin took a moment to answer. “If it made us attack our friends- what else did it make us do?” He’s staring at Fangs now, who stares right back.

“Donating our kidneys?” There was no humor in his voice. He sighs. “You ruled dating me out based on my name. What changed?”

“I got thirsty?” He shrugs. “I don’t know. After Moose left town, Evelyn said she would introduce me to some gay farmies.” He pauses. “You know, she never actually did. I met a blond guy once. A few weeks later there was you.”

“Yeah. And just after the premiere, she insisted I should move into the Farm’s dormitory with you.”

“True.”

“Do you even like me?”

Kevin stops and holds his breath.

“Was there anything between us? Or was it just the hypnosis?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fangs, Kevin, Alice or Polly? Of whom do you want to read more of?  
> Or do you have a different favourite?  
> Tell me and maybe we'll get to see more of them next chapter. ;)
> 
> Please note, while I did some research for this story, I have no medical background and make up nearly everything as I go.


	7. Struggling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter starts on a silly note.

Jellybean had spent her after school hours alone and raiding through their house. She did that before, when they had just moved in, but now with nothing better to do, she did so in depth. The previous tenants, Betty’s family, had moved out in haste and it showed. She had found the strangest stuff they had just left behind. Like the huge book collection under her bed, sadly mostly vampire romance and she had known since she was nine that was a genre she would never read.

The attic was full of junk, too, spare furniture, tons of boxes. Sometimes it was hard to wrap her head around how much belongings other people accumulate.

The garage had come with a pretty decent set of tools including everything she’d need to rebuild cars, which was surprisingly cool. As nice as the house was, she actually didn’t expect to get use out of such a small garage. She could see herself taking a car apart in there. Well, a small one at least, but she figured they had a driveway for a reason.

It was too bad Cheryl hadn’t trusted her with the red convertible Archie had wrecked that weekend. She could have easily replaced those two wheels. The jack she found was a good model in great condition and worked well. She could certainly do it on her own and if she’d run into muscle problems with it after all, she was sure Archie would have helped. 

With her father checking in at the hospital after work, yet again, she is hard pressed on what to do. Feeling perhaps a tad lonely, she goes into Jughead’s room and takes it in sitting on the window seat. The room was awfully girly. Obviously because it was still actually Betty's room. Her brother certainly was smitten. It was pretty gross.

She and Jughead had grown up sharing a tiny wardrobe and the pull-out sofa for the longest time, so she never actually developed boundaries, at least that is what she settled on as an excuse when she stands up and peaks into drawers. It’s not as if Jughead had anything to hide. Or she anything better to do.

She expects to find something interesting, she’d take anything really, instead most of the drawers she opens are as good as empty. At least when she doesn’t count those she skips that day. The high chest of drawers filled with clothes she already raided two days ago to pack Jughead’s overnight bag and the vanity housed the weird assortment of rings her brother was steadily amassing.

She aborts her mission of lowering her boredom when she opens the bedside table’s drawer and comes face to face with a box of condoms.

It was proof she truly didn’t want of things she certainly didn’t want to think about. It was disgusting. How could she ever sleep peacefully knowing something like that could go over just a room away? She pushes the drawer closed with the very tips of her toes and steps back.

She’s about to leave the room when her eyes land on a stack of car magazines. When did her brother become cool enough to read those? Surely, they weren’t his. Maybe Archie’s? She takes some and heads back to her room.

♕

Archie had been in motion for most of the day. He had checked in early at the hospital, Betty had been sleeping still but Jughead had been thankful for some home-cooked breakfast his mother prepared. Then he spent most of his time at the sheriff station, giving additional statements on Hiram Lodge, the Black Hood, Penelope Blossom and what little he remembered about the Gargoyles knocking him out. He met a couple known faces there. Sweet Pea, Peaches and some of the other gang members were right there giving statements with him and he even saw Ethel Muggs talking to a phantom portrait artist. Afterwards the Poisons were nice enough to give him a ride to the Blossom Estate so he could finally pick his jalopy up.

Now he lies on his bed, still way too restless to go to sleep, but still unmotivated to do anything.

That day he had witnessed Jughead fussing over a sleeping Betty, ran into Cheryl and Toni smooching, watched his parents tiptoe around each other just breaths away from flirtation, heard about Fangs moving in with Kevin and sat beside one of the Poisons for hours who kept sending flirty voicemails to a significant other. It was just one of those strange days that kept pushing a single fact in your face over and over again.

He had been in one relationship or another for most of the last two years. He felt like on one hand, he needed a girlfriend, like _now_ , as soon as possible, because he obviously could not be okay without one and on the other hand, he stopped knowing who he himself even was on his own.

He didn’t have the best relationships so far and whenever one ultimately ended; he just fell directly into the next one. Today he could see and admit to himself at least that Ms. Grundy likely didn’t have the best intentions with him. And he’d hardly been with Valerie at all. Veronica... Things with her were good, they actually were. But things had been so muddled with her father. Still. It didn’t matter.

He was piecing himself back together with Josie, but they’ve never been that close, not really. She was right when she said they weren’t endgame; he was still in love with Veronica. He still is.

The light in the room across the street turns on and he moves to sit up, automatically expecting to see Betty. Of course, it isn’t, it isn’t even Jughead; it’s Jellybean Jones.

Of course, they’re still at the hospital together. He wants something like that. Someone that’d sit with him for a week if they had to. Vegas choses that moment to jump on his legs.

“Yeah boy!” He says happily. “We haven’t been out on a late jog for way too long, have we?”

♕

Reggie carries bags full of juice bottles and other groceries his mother asked him to get into their house, Veronica on his heels, and finds her slaving over the stove top.

“Hey Mom. They were out of broccoli, but I figured cauliflower worked just as well?” He stops next to her to take a quick peek into the pots. “Wow, that looks great. Too bad I’m living on takeout at the hospital this week.”

“It really does smell great Mrs. Mantle.”

“If you’ve already eaten, what are you even doing here?” Melinda sighs and stirs what is in one of the pots. “You should probably leave and drive her home before Marty comes back from work.”

It comes out pretty harsh.

“Eh? Mom, if you have a problem with Veronica, you-“

“Oh, sweetheart, no.” She turns to him and puts her hand on his shoulder. “No. That wasn’t what I meant at all. I’m always glad to see you two together, Veronica is such a darling.” She pauses and smiles at them both. “You two are great together. Your father is just so stressed right now. Maybe it would be a good idea for you two to spend more of your evenings out somewhere else?”

“That bad?” He asks quietly.

“Ah, you know him.” She scoffs. “He just doesn’t sleep well this week.” She adds more marjoram and turns back to them. “Wasn’t there a new movie you wanted to see? I heard the Bijou has a Monday special this month.”

♕

Cheryl and Toni are lying in their four-poster-bed, exhausted and praying the twins will finally stay asleep. They had been tormenting them for most of the night. Crying in tandem. Whenever they managed to calm one down, the other started all over again.

Now, lights off and together, they had a moment to breathe through. Still expecting the kids to start crying again, they fight sleep for just a moment longer.

“Do you think they hate Thistle House?” Cheryl asks into the silence.

Toni turns towards her. “They’re just having a rough night, babe.”

“I don’t think they’ve ever cried so much before.”

The kids have been quiet for close to five minutes, a record for this night.

“They’ve had a hard weekend.” Toni tries to reason. “I’m sure they miss their mom. And I’d bet Edgar gave them sleeping pills or something. We got this.”

“We can’t give them sleeping pills!” Cheryl is sitting upright in bed, looking at her with accusation.

“No, of course not. I just think maybe they still need to learn how to fall asleep on their own.” She replies calmly. “We can call Mrs. Andrews again tomorrow, she seemed to have this parenting thing down pretty good. Or we can ask their doctor.”

Cheryl nods and lays back down. Toni gathers her towards herself and cards her fingers through Cheryl’s long hair.

“They already love you Cheryl. And they know, they’re safe with you. They just need to get used to it first.”

Cheryl smiles and rolls a little closer. “I love you Toni” She yawns.

“And I love you Cheryl Blossom.”

♕

“Jug?” Betty has been awake since three in the morning and is exhausted. She flexes her arms as if to shake off grabbing hands and fixates him again. “I need to get better.”

“Yeah you do.” Jughead mumbles, exhausted as she is, face propped up by his arms against her mattress. “And you will. Just give it time.”

“What if we don’t have time?” She fusses with her blanket.

“We do.” He moves his head to one side and frees a hand to grab hers with. “We’re only seventeen. We still have time.”

They pause.

“Now, go to sleep, love.”

“Can’t.” She tried, she honestly did, but she just can’t.

“Shall I ask for something to help you sleep?”

“Don’t want drugs I don’t need.” She sighs. “It’s already morning anyway. Can’t we just watch tv instead?”

There’s nothing interesting on, but they settle on a home improvement show. He falls asleep to the mind dulling explanations on how to declutter the bathroom.

He wakes later as Cheryl comes in.

♕

Sierra and Tom are found in the kitchen, cooking up a storm of foods Tom knew were Kevin’s favorites and what Sierra soon had learned he enjoyed. They add a few others to balance the meal and hope Fangs will appreciate at least some of them.

They’re stressed. Sierra is running through some of her most pressing cases in her mind, hoping today’s the day she can get a few of the young women finally out of the Lodge Detention Center and back to their families. Tom is still working on the tedious task of figuring out what the connection between the Riverdale Scouts and the Gargoyle King is – and who that guy was for the record. And then there’s the rental van they still need to drive back and get their own car back. On top of that, there’re the two boys they are taking care of and have to drive to their currently daily therapy appointments. It’s a lot.

Sierra’s also still worried about Josie and angry at her ex-husband Miles for just taking their daughter with him on tour, school be damned, without notifying her and abandoning their deal to stay in town for a week to take care of Kevin too. She knew Miles wasn’t a responsible father, she should have never trusted him to show up in the first place. And then there was Tom’s ex-wife who somehow managed an even worse performance in parenting, leaving for another tour abroad when she agreed to sitting the kids for a week, without even informing anyone.

She and Tom were so anxious and absorbed with figuring out this old Gryphons and Gargoyles drama, they never stopped to worry what else could come up. Their kids payed the price.

Tom fries up another batch of hash browns and gets the bacon out of the fridge to fry next while she cuts up more fruits and veggies. Today is going to be another long day.

Kevin and Fangs come solemnly down the stairs together and claim adjoining seats, before they start setting the table.

“Thank you so much for taking me in, Mrs. McCoy, Mr. Keller.” Fangs says as he distributes the cutlery Kevin handed him. “I appreciate it very much.”

“Don’t you worry boy.” Tom brushes it off as he divides the bacon and hash browns between their plates. “You’re welcome. Now eat up, you’ve got early appointments today.”

Sierra sets some orange juice and fresh milk to the table and sits down too. “Tom has to go to the station after dropping you two off today, but I’ll be there to take you home after your appointments and work in the home office from then.”

Fangs sits up a bit straighter. “That’s what- what we wanted to speak to you about. Kevin and I talked, and we thought it was best if I move out.”

His words were met with silence.

“Boy, you-“ Tom stammers. “If it’s about the sleeping arrangements, it’s fine. We noticed, but we won’t make a fuss about you not sleeping in Josie’s room. Honestly.”

“And besides that, Tom and I know how much you mean to Kevin. You’re welcome here.”

“Yeah, that’s the thing.” Kevin says icily. “Fangs here believes the only reason I don’t detest the ground he is walking on is the farm’s hypnosis. The first thing he did this morning was call Sweet Pea to get himself a ride out of here.”

They pause.

“You want to leave us?”

♕

There’s a knock at the door, startling Betty. The door is opened slowly and then a wide smile in Pantone’s Flame Scarlet greets her.

“Hey, Cousin Betty. Can I come in?”

“Yes, please come in.” Betty smiles exhaustedly and isn’t surprised when Cheryl pushes the stroller in first, long red hair braided across one shoulder. She sits up and turns the show she was watching with Jughead off, while he sits up straight and pulls his askew hat in place.

“We had our first vaccination appointment today and the twins wanted to visit you as a treat for being so brave.” She smiles at the babies, visibly proud of them. “Not even fifteen months and already their first Hepatitis B shot. Dr. Caligari was pleased to finally meet them. He says they will catch up to schedule in no time.” She looks up to Betty. “Do you want to hold one of them?”

Of course, she does. Jughead is apprehensive, but they figure the logistics out.

They speak about trivial things and laugh. Dagwood is chilling with Betty against the pillows, away from her IV lines and stitches. Juniper, much more active than her brother, is parked in Jughead’s arms and keeps grabbing for his hat. Cheryl, seated on the second chair, regards them regally.

Out of nowhere, she asks: “Betty? Have I thanked you yet? Because I’d like to. Thank you, Betty. Thank you for getting me out of there.”

There’s a moment of pause.

“You don’t need to. I shouldn’t have sent you in there in the first place. If I’d known-”

Cheryl shakes her head. “I keep waking up with those things their fake ginger said in my head and- I was so far gone. You were there, coming for me-“ She stops, the talk probably more honest than she’d like. “Toni tried getting me out, but all that accomplished was me getting her _in_. I- I keep checking her for surgery scars. And every time I change the twins’ diapers, I check their little legs and bodies over. I’d nearly let them chop my Tee-Tee up. I would have gladly let them chop me and Juniper up.” A tear slides down her cheek. “I just regret I let you confront Kevin and Fangs on your own. They were so much deeper in than me, I should have known they wouldn’t listen.” Cheryl’s full on crying now. “I’m so sorry you’re hurt.”

Betty can’t take it; she moves to grab Cheryl’s arm and tugs her towards her. Jughead uses the moment, snatches up Dagwood, too, and leaves the room, fleeing their emotions and giving them a bit of privacy.

♕

Breaking up always sucked, but breaking up with Kevin was much worse than he knew breakups could feel. It was how he imagined his parents divorce might have felt like from his mother’s side. There was a near physical nausea he struggled with during their tense breakfast.

He was glad he had his bag packed before, so once he heard the Serpents’ trusty truck drawing near, he was ready to leave.

“That’s Sweet Pea. Thank you again, for everything. Mrs. McCoy, Mr. Keller.”

He’s nearly up, but Sierra grabs his hand, rolling with the punches. “Eat up first. You can leave with your friend if that’s what you want, but we’ll must go through some legal things first.”

The door rings.

“Invite him in for breakfast, will you Tommy?”

♕

Jughead ends up standing uselessly in the corridor, awkwardly holding two babies, when Toni comes around. Her therapy session just ended; she looks tired but smiles when she sees him standing there holding the twins. He smiles back and walks towards her, hoping she’ll take one of them, since Juniper is getting fuzzy and steadily becomes a two arms case.

“You’ve got them well under control Jones. What’s your secret?” She quips.

“Only taking on sitting duties when the kids are asleep. And handing them back over before they can get fussy. Take one?” He pleads. “The cousin squad needs a moment. Care for some coffee? The left vending machine in the lobby is pretty decent.”

Toni takes Dagwood and leads the way. The coffee isn’t actually good, but not as horrible as she remembered it. Trusting Jughead’s judgement on food appeared safe to do. They take seats at one of the tables.

Getting a conversation started wasn’t easy though.

“So, Cheryl said-“

“I’ve been thinking-“

They start at the same time, pause and laugh. Then Toni takes the lead.

“I’ve been talking to the Poisons and Peaches said they’ve been working with the Serpents at prom.”

She doesn’t make it sound like an accusation, but he takes it as one regardless.

“Yeah, that’s true, but really it was just the once. We wanted to take the Gargoyle King out and we needed-“

“-more people.” Toni finishes for him. “I know. I did the same exact thing the night Cheryl was taken.” She pauses for effect. “We’re a good team. Saving our girlfriends, taking down cults or hey, serial killers if you count Archie to the Serpents. Do you? Can we, like, be back on the same page?”

“You still want to be Serpent Queen?” He asks quietly.

“Not my point at all.” She shakes her head. “I’m not saying we Poisons will rejoin the Serpents. Can’t we just. Start doing things together again? For fun? Without lethal danger looming over us?”

He smiles and reseats Juniper who was grabbing for his coffee. “Sounds good. Anything in particular you want to propose?”

“Nope, just figured I’d get your okay before I tell you we had Sweet Pea over yesterday.”

“For dinner?” He cracks.

“He offered to help us transport baby shopping with the truck. But it turned out the Blossoms keep everything they’ve ever owned in the attic and extra storage rooms. Guess rich people stay rich because they never have to go shopping for essentials.” She gives him a crooked smile. “If you ask me, he only wanted to hear what we knew about Fangs.”

He stares into his coffee. Fangs. He really didn’t know what to think of him. “Do you? Know anything recent?”

“Just that he’s fighting his way back to sanity. He’s staying at the Keller’s House for now.”

He nods and considers something. “How are you doing?”

“The same? Staying at Cheryl’s, crying about screaming twins instead of sleeping, lining up for therapist appointments?”

“They really pulled out the big guns, didn’t they? The therapy any good?”

“I guess?” She shrugs. “They have us in for daily appointments at the moment. But they say it’s just for the time being, so I guess they’ll scale those down once they believe we’re functioning sane?” She pauses. “It’s very reflective. Not in a bad way.”

He raised a brow in question.

“Like- remember how you kicked me and Cheryl out?”

“Yeah. That really wasn’t,” he pauses mid-sentence before he settles on a word, “okay. But,” he sighs.” I knew Cheryl was a loose cannon. That was fine, I knew to expect it. I could deal. But you were right there with her, second loose cannon. Took me by surprise.”

“I know.” She sighs. “God how I know. Cheryl sometimes needs someone to balance her out. That person needs to be me, so she can balance _me_ out when I need it. I’m getting better at that. Cheryl and me, we’re figuring that out.” She pauses and starts again. “You’re sometimes a loose cannon, too. Do you realize that?”

Jughead looks surprised.

“When you just up and left town with Archie... things weren’t great. You didn’t tell anyone of us what was going on. We didn’t know where you were or what the hell happened. You were just gone.”

He wants to protest, but Toni doesn’t let him.

“Everyone believed Betty had just moved to the Farm, abandoning the Serpents right with you. And there we were.”

“Yeah, Archie is-“

“I get it. Priorities are important. Honestly, I did the same thing when I followed Cheryl undercover to the Farm. But the consequences suck for those left.”

♕

They have calmed when Cheryl’s phone rings.

She’s annoyed and wants to shut it off but sobers when she sees the caller id.

“It’s Attorney McCoy I’ve got to take this.” Cheryl says. “Yes. Really? When? That’s amazing. I’ll be there!” She ends the call and turns to Betty. “Cousin Betty, amazing news! Polly gets out today!” Her smile splits her entire face in two. “I didn’t want to say anything before, but I set McCoy on the case. The twins were missing their mother so much. The Poisons helped set up a nursery and get the guest rooms in order. Thistle House isn’t Thornhill, but we’ve got some space. I know you’ll be staying with your Serpent, but there’d be a room for you, too, if you wanted. I can’t believe she’s finally out, Betty!” She moves in close again to give her another, much happier embrace. “I’ll bring her by tomorrow so you can see her.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think. :)
> 
> (I'm currently deep in exam hell. An update will come, but after the 14th~ish.)


	8. Sighing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the long break since the last update.  
> I had to take a break from writing since university had a couple finals for me - and after I really struggled to get back into it. Really, I still do. So here is the first half of the chapter I'm writing on.

When the door closes behind Cheryl, Betty sighs deeply. She is glad she and Jughead are left on their own again. She loved seeing Cheryl, loved the visit with her niece and nephew, loved the news about Polly. Still, she barely slept the night before. She was so exhausted. Stressed. Tense. And so lethargic. She never felt this horrible before.

It wasn’t this bad the last time. Or was it?

The worst part was, that Jughead seemed to be right there with her. Unkempt hair pushed under his beanie, bags under his eyes and still in the clothes from the day before. He looked so beat.

Seeing him like that stressed her even more. She wanted him to get good rest. She should tell him to go home, it would be the responsible thing to do. But she also didn’t want to wake up at night all on her own in a dimly lit hospital room with a nurse checking in on her.

She wants the both of them back somewhere warm and safe, her childhood room, the Joneses’ trailer or even the bunker, going to sleep and just resting for a week or two. What they have is a hospital room. She lays back into her pillow, Jughead settles into the chair next to her bed, leaning towards her onto the mattress, and they switch the tv back on to doze to.

Then, there’s another knock at the door and FP Jones steps into the room, carrying what looks like a huge plastic shopping bag. He looks at them and worry stands clear on his face. “You haven’t slept well, have you?”

They give him a half-hearted smile in return.

“I’m bringing good news, at least. Your sister is better and allowed out of the observation program.” He says, looking at Betty with a smile.

“We know, dad. Cheryl just left to ‘get Thistlehouse ready for inspection’.” Jughead quips.

FP sighs and falls onto the other chair. “Guess I don’t get to be the bringer of good news in this town.” He mumbles and breathes through. “Your mother is doing all right as well. She is still a bit confused about Charles, but I’m certain, she will be here checking in on you soon.”

Betty pats his arm. “Thank you.”

“Well, I actually came to bring you some things we confiscated at the old nunnery. Cheryl Blossom identified them as yours. A bag and I think a phone...“ He trails off midsentence, opens the plastic bag to take out a list and hands the bag over to Betty. “One of my deputies packed it. Let’s check if everything’s accounted for and actually yours.”

Betty accepts the bag warily. She isn’t sure what she expects from it. She’s not sure what’s even supposed to be in there, most of the things she took with her to the Farm should be in her backpack. It’d be nice to have her phone back, but honestly everything else she wanted Veronica long since brought over.

Placing the bag gingerly on her lap, she opens it back up, spots her phone at first glance and smiles. “This is definitely mine.” Trying to switch it on tells her the battery has long since died, so she puts it on her bedside table for the time being. Out of the back of her eye, she sees FP is making a note on the sheet he holds. Jughead gives her a soft smile and looks over towards his father.

Other than her phone, the bag contains one of her purses and a couple loose odds and ends beneath it. She plans to go through the contents of the purse, but before she even starts to comb through the compartments, her hand goes straight to the left one and once her fingers touch the half-filled bottle of Adderall she keeps there, she already popped the lid. She doesn’t think about it. But when she sees two pills laid out in her palm halfway to her mouth, she violently jumps back, causing the bottle to fall from the hospital bed and the pills to spill over the bed and all over the ground.

Jughead and FP spring immediately into motion.

FP had removed the bag from her lap and is picking up the pill bottle and what pills he could spot, while looking over at the girl.

“Nonononono.” Betty keeps repeating with a haunted look on her face. Why was this so hard?

Jughead climbs delicately onto the bed to her and tries to help her calm down, flicking sparse pills away and brushing against her arms. “Betts, hey, it’s okay. You’re okay. Nothing happened.”

Staring at the ground, FP concentrates on the spilled pills and pretends he’s not there. His son got this.

Slowly, Betty turns her head from unseeingly staring towards her knees to uncomprehendingly watching his face.

He spots tears welling up. She looks so broken. “It’s okay. It’s not easy.” He moves one of his hands to the side of her head and just holds her. “You’ve never been through this before. But you’re doing so well.”

She shakes her head. “That’s the thing. This isn’t the first time.” Betty tells him. “I- I told you, didn’t I? When school just started? ‘Maybe I should stop taking Adderall.’ And I did.”

He looks at her surprised, so she tries to explain.

“The internet said to reduce the dosage over time, so I did. Even when we broke Archie out of juvie. I was over it when my mother – had me _admitted_ _there_. And well, the nuns didn’t give me _Adderall_. But back home with all the fugitives-“

There, she stops abruptly. He looks at her with worry and confusion.

“They weren’t at the farm.” She says.  “Mom sent them there, but I’ve never seen them around. Hanna, Tyler, all of them. They weren’t there.” Her voice is strong, but breaks. “Do you think-?”

She pauses with a heavy weight and makes the Jones’ men gaze at her.

“Most of them were disinherited or orphans. No one missed them. They were perfect for the Farm. Oh god. I saved them from the Sisters and got them butchered for their organs.”

She collapses against him; Jughead holds her tightly and stares into nothing. He hasn’t been the biggest fan of those teens and all the drama they brought. He hasn’t been sad to see them gone, but if this was true – and with what he had seen when they got Betty out, hell with the condition she still was in – it could be true, it likely was, were all of them... dead?

Ignoring his own horror and her comment about the prison breakout like he did ever since the news originally came out, FP switches to his business mode and enters the conversation. “I’ll get the team on this. How many kids are we talking?”

♕

Getting Polly out, even after the news that she was allowed to leave the strict observation, is a tough bureaucratic procedure, that starts with an inspection of their house to check if appropriate accommodation existed and doesn’t quite end with a plethora of official documents that needed signing and bound the legal responsibility of Polly to Cheryl at least in so far as she has to make sure she attended all therapy appointments.

To get the house ready for the inspection by the social worker the FBI had ordered for the victims, Cheryl rushed Toni and the twins back to the Blossom Estate. It was only to make sure there was a decent home ready to take her in, in not a small part due to the wish to prevent more bad news to come forward in a town that was horrified of its recently spilled secrets.

Thus, Cheryl rushed them home, checked in with Nana Rose, called Peaches and Amaranth, another Pretty Poison who had helped them with getting the twins initially settled in, for help. While Amaranth and Nana Rose were taking care of the twins in the living room, Cheryl and Peaches headed upstairs to bring the three guest rooms and the twins’ bedroom once more up to at least Hollywood standards and Toni headed to the store for _another_ huge grocery haul. Cheryl had planned the night’s dinner and gave her a detailed grocery list. With Cheryl’s red car still at the auto shop to fix the front tires, she drove a rental car for the time being.

Vacuuming, Cheryl imagines what she wants that night to be like.

Honestly, she wants her Tee-Tee, the twins and all of their Pretty Poisons to drive to the Southside with the van and all of their bikes in a victory parade. This was a good day; this was a win. Her Cousin Betty might still be hurt and injured in hospital, but her lovely niece and nephew were getting their mother back.

Of course, it wasn’t a good idea. She knew that. She didn’t want to stress Polly. All those girls she didn’t know in her face first thing might be a shock. She obviously doesn’t know, she’s not an expert, but she thinks, if she were in her situation, she would want something familiar. Maybe Toni and some of their girls in a booth at Pop’s. It was a pity the diner was closed. She hoped they figured something out soon. A booth at Pop’s would be great for Polly too.

Maybe they should just pick her up, just the four of them. Polly knew Toni. And drive home, make a nice dinner to share with Nana Rose and maybe relax in the living room together. She was sure Polly would want to spend as much time with her children as she could. She had been separated from Juniper for four days now and hadn’t seen Dagwood for much longer. She must miss them so horribly much.

There’s still time when they’re done upstairs, so Cheryl starts on baking some pie for desert that night, hoping that the smell of freshly baked goods will help make Thistlehouse even more welcoming and sway any potentially unsure inspector’s opinion. Amaranth and Peaches made sure to pick up what they could pretend might be out of place, but the house was in amazing condition when they started and there were only a few toys of the twins that were laying around where they shouldn’t. The two of them left when Toni came back, carrying a couple of canvas bags full of groceries and a bouquet of flowers, so the living room would be even more inviting.

The inspection is anticlimactic. The social worker was five minutes late and while she was friendly, she didn’t care too much about all those little details Cheryl fretted over so much. She just checked if there was a room for Polly and didn’t care about seeing the other two guest rooms, she didn’t want to see the twins’ room and just smiled at Cheryl’s enthusiastic declaration of having enough room and hoping to house Alice soon, too.

♕

Sweet Pea spent Fangs’ therapy session sitting in the waiting room and reading through documents Sierra McCoy gave him and leaflets he found laid out on the side table. Taking Fangs back home wasn’t as easy as it should be. He had to guarantee Fangs would be at his therapist on time and he was somewhat responsible to make sure Fangs didn’t harm himself or the people around him (though he figured that point as a possibility was somewhat played up by the attorney).

But more importantly, he realized Fangs now needed to be taken care of. He needed time and assistance with getting his life back on track and maybe something meaningful to do. It shouldn’t have felt earth shattering, but somehow it did.

Somehow Fangs had been suffering through way too much in the last two years. He’d been arrested, shot and nearly died just a year ago, in retaliation for a murder the Black Hood committed. A killer, he had thought might be a kind of hero for sticking it to the Northside. He felt sick thinking about it.

Then, when he was just out of the hospital his mother had fallen ill and instead of telling someone he dealt with it on his own, trying to help in whatever way it could, mostly financially. All it did was get him kicked out of the Serpents and sent undercover to the Gargoyles. That should have been the last.

Instead the two of them ended up accidentally killing Tall Boy whom they used to consider family. Their friend circle split, they joined an underage police force and chased drug dealers, and someway in all of it, the next school musical happened, and Sweet Pea was so happy to see Fangs finally dating again. It’s been over a year, more if you didn’t count the affair with Midge as dating.

Sweet Pea was too occupied still chasing after Josie, he didn’t see what was going on. How Kevin was suddenly part of a cult. He didn’t even know what happened to his previous boyfriend if he was honest. It cost Fangs a kidney.

He failed him once, he wouldn’t fail him again.

Frankly, he is glad Fangs decided to call him. No Serpent stands alone. Not in a fight and not through shit like this.

They don’t have an initial sleeping accommodation inspection and Sweet Pea isn’t sure how they managed to dodge that step, but Attorney McCoy told him to expect one in a day or two. They really need to figure out where and pretty the place up.

When Fangs leaves the therapist’s office, Sweet Pea collects his papers and gets up. Time to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the next update finds you sooner. Comments might help. ;)
> 
> In the meantime, feel free to check out the two other fics I've uploaded recently:  
> The Harvest is a nightmarish anti-version to Healing one-shot while Betty the Vampire Slayer is what it says in the title: fun and everything good with too many deaths (maybe, if I find characters to kill off).
> 
> If you want to get into touch, writing sneak peeks or just want to check if I'm still writing, You can find me under the same username on tumblr.


	9. Resting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An update! This chapter contains a lot of red.  
> Let me know what you think.

When Jughead wakes, he is warm and comfortable. Soft breath against his neck and warmth all across his front, he doesn’t open his eyes at first, just enjoys the ease of it all for a moment. After being exhausted for so long, it is just so nice to finally lie in and rest like this with Betty.

Once he opens his eyes, he sees strands of blond hair and grins. They must’ve fallen asleep after his father left.

His arms are around her and she is still fast asleep. Finally. He stays still not wanting to wake her. Terrified of moving and disrupting her position, scared stitches might pop and leave her bleeding all over again, he stays frozen next to her. It’s a good place to be.

He stares at her, her shoulder, where he can see a little more of her skin as he should, because both her top and the blanket are a bit slipped.

Carefully he tugs the blanket a little higher to her shoulders and settles back down. He’s about to go back to sleep, then he sees what woke him, it’s Archie. Back turned towards him, he is preoccupied with something in a bag.

“For the creep factor to be so high, you’re not doing much staring.”

He’s speaking under his breath, not wanting to wake Betty, but Archie startles anyway, who sends a plastic water bottle crashing to the ground and stumbles into a chair.

Betty stirs and moves closer to Jughead, but calms when he gently moves his hand through her hair.

“Shit! Sorry Jug-“ Archie starts too loudly, but he quiets down after Jughead hushes him with a gesture. “Sorry. Cheryl called me this morning saying she traded our visitation slots because blood relation trumps the chance relation to people living in the same street. I hope you’ve been okay without breakfast?” He holds up a stack of filled food containers. “Mom made rice and some creamy chicken stew for lunch and a couple sandwiches extra for you. Plus, I brought some snacks. I figured you’d still be hungry?”

Jughead smiles at him. “Haven’t really been hungry recently, but thank you. Sounds good, I’ll eat it.”

♕

The minute Toni and Cheryl arrive to pick up Polly from the Lodge Detention Center that afternoon, nearly half an hour early, a prisoner transport leaves the parameters. Mary Andrews is already waiting for them and tells them this is the last one. All of the prisoners Hiram Lodge had accumulated over the last months, now were transferred to actual prisons kept by the state. Momentarily, they were reevaluating all of Hiram’s current employees, especially since they had gotten a multitude of statements by former prisoners of the Leopold and Loeb Juvenile Detention Center claiming most of them were involved in illegal prison fights. It was an insane accusation in any other town. With the uncovering of the organ farm and the strange things she had heard on the way there, Agent Ardelia, the agent in charge, stopped doubting.

Cheryl has a plethora of legal documents to sign and Mary Andrews keeps explaining every single one of them. They will be responsible for Polly and they will need to make sure she attended her therapy appointments. Also, Mary explained that Polly getting out wasn’t the same as her getting the children’s custody back, that would be another process and, in the meantime, it would remain with Cheryl and Rose Blossom.

When they finally see Polly, she looks well put together, but appears uninterested and exhausted. She carries a bag over one of her shoulders and looks at them.

Cheryl hurries towards her and envelopes her in a welcoming yet tight embrace. “It’s so good to finally see you again, dear Pollykins!”

Polly lets her and smiles in thanks before Toni envelopes her in another one, less tight but just as welcoming.

“It’s good to have you out of there. The nightmare’s finally over.” Toni says as she lets go of her and takes her bag.

“We’re all wrapped up here. Dagwood and Juniper are back at Thistlehouse with Nana Rose and our friend Soda Float babysitting.” Cheryl explains. “We should hurry, they’ve been missing you all this time.”

Before they leave, Polly turns to Mary and says: “Thank you so much for your help, Mrs. Andrews. Really. I appreciate it very much.”

“Anytime. Say hello to the twins for me. Call me if you need anything.”

♕

Kevin is home. With his father working extra hours at the station and Sierra deeply buried in her work between documents over documents in the downstairs office, Kevin was alone upstairs, laying on top of his still made bed and stared unseeing at the ceiling. Not actually registering the time passing, he wondered how just twenty hours ago life had been good.

Not perfect by any means, they were deceived, stolen a kidney each and were still reeling from two days spent imprisoned, but if Fangs was with him, he knew, he was safe and loved. Now he isn’t, not anymore. Worse, Fangs now doubts he ever was, thinks everything could have been just a part of some cultist mind control.

Maybe Kevin has never been loved.

A phone buzzes downstairs and he blinks to bring his surroundings back into view. It was already much darker than he thought. He sits up and puts his own arms around himself as in an embrace. Without the sun, the room had grown cold.

He stands up and moves to his wardrobe aiming to change into a warmer sweater, but he stops when he sees his hand in front of the mirror. He holds it there, and stares in wonder. As long as he doesn’t really look, as long as it’s unfocused and just out of the side of his eyes, it is as if his hand touched another, in perfect synchrony.

He keeps looking and forgets about the sweater.

♕

The kitchen in Thistlehouse was small in comparison to the one in Thornhill. Cheryl knew Polly wouldn’t compare them and had hardly seen the inside of it during her short stay with her family back then anyway, but still. She wanted things to be perfect.

Thus, she went to the kitchen right after their arrival at home and is now making dinner for them all. She wants to make something truly nice, a home cooked family dinner that’ll help Polly feel right at home despite the fact she never been there before. She peels potatoes and cuts the veggies, but every time she means to start with the meat, she puts it back down. Something about it just doesn’t feel right. Just the color and consistency, it reminds her of the human heart Betty showed her. And she can’t shake it off. She keeps seeing the babies’ and Toni’s organs.

Slowly, she puts it back into the fridge and just hopes Toni will deal with it the next day. In its place, she digs out some right out of the freezer, that’s already breaded and only needs her to put it in the oven for a bit. She can do that much.

♕

That evening, Veronica makes Reggie drive them to the small Italian place two streets north from Riverdale High. It has by far the best pizza in town and she’s in the mood for some. They sit down at a nice table for two.

The two of them had spent the last two days on beck and call for Agent Ardelia to assist with any questions and problems she and her team might run into and tried to help the investigation along. Still, they didn’t actually do much beside give their statements and pray the case was successful.

The place is always fast with entrees, so she orders a salad and pizza bread to eat there and three whole pizza pies to bring to the hospital with them.

Reggie sits across from her and rests his head in his hands, elbows on the table. “You know, three is way too much. We won’t finish two.”

“I want a slice or two as well.” She winks at him.

Rolling his eyes, he hums: “Still, a whole pie too much. He’s not eating _that_ much.” He leans over the table and pecks her lips just before a server brings their drinks and the entrees.

“He does eat that much. He’s always eating.” She replies while spearing the first bits of salad on her fork. It’s delicious and the bread even better, still warm and with a slight garlic flavor.

They’ve finished the salad when the pizzas are ready. Veronica hands her credit card to Reggie and sneaks a slice of pizza while he heads to the counter to pay. It’s good pizza, aromatic crust, fresh tomato sauce, creamy cheese and spicy pepperoni on top. It is great.

After a blink, Reggie returns and she’s already out of her seat once he hands her the card back with a kiss to her cheek. “Dinner’s on me again. The reader finally declined your last card.” He takes the boxed pizzas and offers her his arm.

She shrugs. “It was only a question of time. I’m surprised it took them that long.” She looks up at him through half lidded eyes and steps a bit closer to kiss him on his cheek. “Thank you.”

They get back to Reggie’s car and drive to the hospital.

♕

The Blossoms had used the greenhouse as the unofficial Thistlehouse dining room for as long as Cheryl could remember. They didn’t use it as much, her parents rather had Nana Rose visit them as the other way around, but she had fond memories of staying over with Jason when they were little and the sweets their grandmother snuck them were the highlight of their weekends. The cult had used the wound that was the loss of Jason to control her and left her with the pain fresh again, but her memories of him offered comfort now. She would like to share them. Maybe they could comfort Polly just as much.

“I would like to keep our good relationship the farmies brainwashed us into, Cousin Polly, even in this functioning sanity and beyond.” Cheryl says over dinner. “Let’s honor Jason’s memory together. And be good for young Juniper and Dagwood.”

She and Polly are seated at the ends of the table with the twins seated in highchairs next to each other on one side and Toni and Nana Rose on the other.

Polly swallows and smiles. “That would be nice, Cheryl.” She looks over at her twins and sees them mashing more of their potatoes and vegetable pieces into their trays than they moved to their mouths. Before she can say anything, Nana Rose grabs her wrist.

“They will learn, Polly dear.”

Cheryl has prepared both cherry and apple pie for dessert, but Polly claims she is exhausted and leaves for her room.

♕

Betty is sitting up in a near 90-degree angle and smiles exhaustedly at her when she gets through the door. Jughead is lounging on one of the chairs, socked feet propped up on the mattress next to hers, while reading through a couple informational papers and double checking something on his phone.

“Veronica! There you are again!” She’s obviously happy to see her and while her exhaustion is obvious, it’s a huge difference to how she was the day before.

Veronica beams at her in return.

Visiting Betty is always the highlight of Veronica’s days. And today was a pretty good one. She brought another bouquet of flowers and a small assortment of chocolates with her; well aware Betty wouldn’t eat any herself. In a way, she brought those for Jughead, whom she sends downstairs to the lobby where Reggie is waiting with the pizzas like the days before.

“I’m allowed to drink now.” Betty tells her happily as Veronica takes her usual seat. “I’m also required to walk again.”

Previously she was only allowed to nibble on ice chips, but today her doctor was content with her recovery so far, so she’s finally gotten the okay for liquids. In addition, she was told to slowly start walking short distances. While drinking feels amazing, walking does not so much. It’s not the worst pain she felt, but it does hurt. She has so much fresh scar tissue, and it seems it’s not a fan of stretching.

On the upside, she finally doesn’t need the catheter anymore. And honestly, she’s more comfortable having Jughead walk with her to the restroom than having nurses change those bags.

“That sounds amazing! Betty! You’re getting better!” Veronica claps her hands together and rests them in front of her face, half hiding her huge smile and slowly watering eyes.

“I’m not so sure.” Betty says jokingly. “The doctor says it helps with the healing, but frankly I think it’s his vengeance for finding me and Juggie in bed together.”

“What? Betty! That’s scandalous! In the hospital!” Veronica laughs and rests her hands on the bed, obviously playing along.

Betty giggles and abruptly twists her face in pain. Pressing both hands against her abdomen, she tries to calm her breath. After a moment, she looks back up at Veronica, who is hovering just out of reach, and gives her a grin.

 “Actually, I had a bit of an episode earlier.” She sobers a moment later. “I could use a favor. Or two.”

This leads her friend to look at her with worry and move even closer to her. “Whatever you need.”

“Well, I’ve been... today I’ve nearly took some Adderall.  It’s been in a bag Jug’s dad brought and I didn’t even think about it, but-“ She stopped midsentence and paused for a while. “The bag I keep at your place, there’s some in it too. Can you -take care of it? There’s definitely some in the left compartment and in my toilet bag, but maybe there’s some wayward ones somewhere in there too. Can you look through that for me? I don’t trust myself with it.”

“Of course.” Veronica nods. “I’ll see to it.”

“Sorry for the hassle. It’s no hurry, really. I just don’t think I can do that myself.”

“It’s fine, I get it. Oh Betty.” Veronica sighs.

“The other thing, you’ve seen Jughead, haven’t you? He’s not sleeping enough, and I need to make him.”

♕

When Cheryl learned Jason, her precious twin brother, had planned to marry Polly and told their grandmother but kept it a secret from her, she had been hurt. She had always told him everything. There wasn’t a secret she didn’t share. Why didn’t he do the same? Once he was gone, she had to discover them on her own.

As she stared at the old engagement ring she had taken after Polly found it in her mother’s jewelry box and claimed she had deliberately flushed, she wasn’t even sure what she had wanted with it. Maybe, since Jason couldn’t use it, she thought one day she might? A part of her would love proposing to Toni one day, especially with such a family heirloom. But this wasn’t the one. It wasn’t hers and would never be. Its history wasn’t something she wanted to taint a future engagement with.

It was Polly’s ring. Whatever it and the memories it brought of Jason and Nana Rose meant to her. There were other things she had of both of them. Polly didn’t. It should be hers.

And maybe this was something else good that could come of Edgar’s brainwashing. Something else beside the fact that she had good relationships with all the Cooper women now. Edgar talked about her mementos of Jason with her. She could share this one.

She swallows and knocks at Polly’s door.

Polly looks startled when she opens the door. “Cousin Cheryl?” She doesn’t open the door all too wide, but her head fits comfortably in the crack. Her hair is wet and wrapped in a towel, she’s obviously just come out of the shower and not quite properly dressed.

“I claimed it was lost.” Cheryl starts and opens her hand, presenting Nana Rose’s old engagement ring. “I’m sorry. I actually kept it, hidden. From you, from my parents. I’ve never been good with sharing. That’s why. The whole time it was in one of my jewelry boxes. It should be yours. Jason gave it to you. He must have loved you so much, Polly.” Her eyes are brimming with tears and one breaks free across her cheek, taking her mascara with it. “It’s yours. Please take it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are happening.  
> Any thoughts?


	10. Sleeping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry updates are so slow. I really thought I'd have this story finished by now.  
> If you want to help, please leave a comment. I always keep them marked unread in my inbox as writing motivation. Doesn't have to be anything profound.

With spring being officially in town and the nights slowly getting warmer – they still had frost sometimes, but Serpents were warm-blooded - most of them were getting ready to move back to their tent city. Most of them had spent the winter months crashing in the living room of one of the last still-standing trailers in Sunnyside Trailer Park, others stayed with family in Centerville, in a friend’s garage or even in school.

Of course, once Jughead had declared the abandoned Gargoyle hideout to be their new headquarters and after a desperately needed cleaning spree, some had moved there. Their set up was pretty nice, they even had a bathroom and a small tea kitchen, both in a secluded corridor close to the entrance.

They were still in the process of settling, but it was coming along alright. It wasn’t much to look at, that wasn’t their style, a Serpents tag on paper someone taped to the freshly painted wall, leaving a smudge and a couple of pin boards and maps they had mostly used in their drug raid a few weeks before.

Most of them were sleeping on the ground, atop of the pads and mattresses they used in their tents, others on the two couches they had brought in. They still wanted to get a table and a couple shelves for the kitchen, for the time being they put their stuff on the ground, whether it was plates or canned food and sat beside it to eat.

The best part of their headquarters might be, that it didn’t cool off too badly during the nights and there was no condensation collecting on the windows that turned to mold as soon as they closed the windows for an hour or two.

Still, all of them really missed summer and wanted to be back at their tent city. Somehow things had felt safer there. It reminded them of a time before Gryphons and Gargoyles, before the town’s isolation, before the rift between them and the girls of the gang that had by now -not counting Betty- all left to join the Pretty Poisons instead. It reminded them of a time when the only problems they had were Hiram Lodge’s meddling in the real estate market of the Southside and the Ghoulies. And both of those problems had been solved, so really, the memories they had now seemed pure and carefree.

Fangs felt a pang of regret for ever leaving their midst when Sweet Pea had so easily agreed to come and get him from Kevin’s place as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Maybe it was. What he felt then was hardly comparable to what he felt arriving at their headquarters. It was perfect.

There were a few fresh faces between them, but most of them had been his friends for years now and they welcomed him back with literal open arms. Everyone was welcoming and heartfelt.

It was hard to wrap his head around how he didn’t notice how much he missed his friends. What had the Farm even offered him?

He sighed, he had joined because of Midge.

Not because of her, obviously, but with participating in the new musical all the old memories just came up again. They were never close, not in any way other than the most literal sense. In a way, he thinks, they felt both lonely and were looking for company. Of course, she shouldn’t have been, she had been happily dating Moose. But he thinks, somehow, Midge had known Moose was spending most of his time looking at Kevin. So why not get it on with another guy who was spending most of his time that way? Other than Moose he at least actually liked girls, too. That is, as long as he ignored his crush on Kevin.

Accompanying memories of Midge were memories of her sudden death and the terror of being the main suspect, the riot and being shot at by her mother. It was just all so much. Doing that second musical was hard.

Evelyn had been right there, watching, circling him like a vulture closing in for the kill.

Being with Kevin helped.

He had stopped watching him for a long time by then, but he hardly stopped being interested. There just really wasn’t time for anyone after Midge that year. At first, he had been recovering from the gunshot and then he had been pitching in at home to help with his mother’s hospital bills and to assist with her recovery. Besides, by then Kevin had been dating Moose.

And with the isolation lifted and Jughead back, he went undercover to join the Gargoyles, and the Serpents had split in half. Sweet Pea had been preoccupied with hating the Pretty Poisons for just up and leaving them. Maybe he had been, too.

Toni had always been their best friend, her being kicked out of the gang didn’t sit well with him, but seeing her take every girl with her had been unsettling.

Still, he couldn’t understand how he had just left all of them behind once he joined the Farm. They had lived together, ate together, fought together, stood together. Through everything until then.

The Farm could hardly offer him anything comparable, could it? Sure, he had had Kevin and spent time bonding with Midge’s mother there, but it wasn’t the same. They weren’t his Serpents, not his family.

It was weird how the only point of contact the Farm allowed him to keep was Archie and his boxing gym. Fangs carefully touched his side; the surgery wound wasn’t hurting anymore, yet it acted as a reminder. The doctor told him he should stop boxing since contact sports always came with the danger of hurting one’s organs. The kidney he had left was his only one now. An unlucky beat could easily damage it, and then kidney failure was a real risk.

Mrs. McCoy assured Kevin and him -misreading the room at that moment- that if their kidneys ever had problems working and a transplant would be their best option, that other than with a voluntary donation of a kidney, theirs wouldn’t be held against them. They’d be treated normally in the priority order of the waiting list for a transplant. But frankly, considering that his own kidney likely ended up transplanted as a donor kidney somewhere... it really wasn’t something he would like to be dependent on. The thought of getting someone’s kidney who was in a similar situation as him or worse was sickening.

♕

Head propped up on his crossed arms, Jughead leans against Betty’s hospital bed and watches her from his chair. It seems like finally she’ll sleep through a night. His smile is soft while he watches. He has been woken twice now by nurses checking in, but that was okay. The one that needed sleep was Betty.

It seemed as if the cure to her sleep troubles really was that easy, just a light sleeping aid and it worked as advertised. He understands why she was hesitant to take meds, but really, he is glad Betty finally agreed to try some. Just because she took some sleeping pills -in a controlled medical setting- doesn’t mean she’d end up addicted to those.

He wondered why she did give in so easily, though. Was she simply that exhausted? Without a question, she had a horrible day, he wouldn’t judge her for simply taking a break when one was offered. Or was it the news about Polly visiting tomorrow? She must be excited and relieved. He can’t imagine how he would feel if it was Jellybean who had been victimized by a psycho cult harvesting organs and ended up having to spend a few nights in Hiram Lodge’s prison. The thought alone makes him shiver.

He thinks of Betty instead, shifts his position and reaches for her hand. It’s warm and she’s safe. Content, he smiles and closes his eyes.     

♕

It was a new day; the sun had begun to rise, and Cheryl was downstairs in the kitchen and baked pancakes while she cut up fruits and veggies. She wanted things to be good for Polly. Welcoming. Perfect. Breakfast would be everything she missed being held captive.

She wasn’t really sure what Polly preferred to eat; they weren’t often at the same time down in the hall for breakfast. Savory or sweet, waffles or pancakes, and if pancakes should those be with chocolate chips or blueberries or plain? Consequently, she makes all three, with two stacks already on a serving plate next to her. Another one full of hash browns was beside it, a few ready-to-bake croissants and a batch of breakfast muffins, some sweet, some savory, were baking in the oven and soon she would swap those with the serving plates, so the food would be still warm when everyone came down to eat.

A dozen eggs turned into batter for scrambled eggs were still waiting on the counter and for the twins’ oatmeal she had their small bowls ready.

She wanted things to be good and perfect and that meant everything. She swallowed. All food groups. They have sausages in the fridge and she’ll definitely make those. But there is also a package of bacon. She can’t behave this childish forever. She needs to set herself straight and deal with stuff.

So, once she is done with the pancakes and had those placed in the still warm oven, she fries that bacon. Opening the package is easy and dumping the contents into the pan as well. The oil sizzles. As long as she doesn’t actually look at it, it is fine. She’ll be fine. Turning the bacon is kind of hard without looking, but once she had those turned, she is safe. The bacon has lost most of its reddish color and stopped reminding her of what she had seen. The bacon isn’t looking like that heart anymore.

Maybe it never did, she didn’t look at it all morning. She fries the sausages next.

She sighs. Breakfast is good to go; she’ll make the eggs when she’s back downstairs. Turning the stove off and double checking the oven really is off too, she heads to go upstairs.

Just at the stairs, her grandmother sits in her chair, looking outside the window.

“Breakfast is ready, Nana Rose. I’ll just get the others and then we can eat.”

When she reaches the twins’ room to wake and dress them, Toni is there and has both of them already changed and dressed for the day.

“Hey Babe. You okay?” Toni asks when she sees her. “You look a little pale.”

Cheryl looks surprised and nods her head. “I’m good. And you’ve already finished here. Thank you,” she says and pecks her lips against Toni’s cheek with a short kiss. “Breakfast is ready. I’ll go get Polly.”

Her cousin’s room is right next to the twin’s and she knocks at the door. “Polly dear? Breakfast is ready.” When there’s no direct answer, she knocks again and slowly opens the door. “Are you still sleeping? We have an appointment at- Cousin Polly?”

♕

Finally, Betty slept a night through. The secret to this was simple: She caved and took the sleeping aid the doctor had ready for her the day before. In a huge part due to her plan with Veronica.

She is definitely not comfortable spending the nights in the hospital alone, mildly terrified with the bare thought of being defenseless and possibly taken to the surgery room, even though she knows it won’t happen. But with Jughead, she knows she is safe and as long as he is around, she feels secure taking sleeping aids. She isn’t sure if she would feel the same with just Veronica around. Not because she doesn’t trust Veronica, simply because she is physically so tiny in comparison.

In addition, she really needs to be awake and alert when she sees Polly again.

Because, if she is honest, she isn’t sure if she wants to see her. The last time she had, it was when Edgar thought she was under his hypnosis and Polly was dressed up as her, telling her all those horrible things. Betty is sure Polly had been under hypnosis then. Hadn’t she? She can’t hold those actions against her, maybe she would have done something similar in her shoes?

She takes a deep breath and puts her focus on Jughead instead. He looks worse than the evening before and she’s glad she made plans.

♕

When Veronica comes, it’s early, barely 7:30am, and Jughead looks so confused when he sees her stepping into the room.

“Good Morning you two!” She chirps, looking well put together, giant to-go cup in one hand and a bag on her other arm. “Reggie is parking the car, but will be here any minute. The bakery had a special today, so I brought some extra pastries for you, Jughead. They’re in the car.”

Jughead wasn’t quite ready to be alert and moans “what are you doing here?”

“I appreciate you too,” Veronica replies and takes a seat on Betty’s other side. “You look well rested! Sleeping aids working for you?”

Betty smiles at her friend and laughs. “Yes. I should have tried that a night before.”

“Great! So, I talked to Archie and Cheryl, everything is set up.” Veronica says as there’s another knock at the door, it’s Reggie carrying one of Veronica’s light coats.

“Morning. Ronnie, your coat.” He nods at them and hands it over. Veronica cups his face with one of her hands and lays a kiss on his lips in thanks, before she turns around again.

“So, Jughead, say goodbye. Reggie is going to drive you home.”

♕

In the midst of his friends, Fangs was acclimatizing well. Sweet Pea stayed with him at the headquarters for the first day, catching up with some of their other friends and getting used to the building. It was mostly going well, just every once in a while, Sweet Pea noticed Fangs starring off into space, hardly reacting until someone put a hand on his arm or shoved him around a little bit. It was off putting, but -as he was told- to be expected.

He was supposed to keep him occupied, so he had spent yesterday making sure everyone helped to clean up the space and even gotten them started in planning some of the next steps of customizing their kitchen. They were still lacking some furniture and he figured a little do-it-yourself project would help twice.

Sweet Pea double checks their sketch from the day before and orders the other Serpents to cut the wood they got using their deputy-money to specific lengths with the tools they lend from Fred Andrews. At first, they just cut and cut and cut, but soon things begin taking shape. They were in need of a table and a couple shelves. At least that was, what they felt comfortable deciding on without talking to Jughead first.

The work is pretty mindless, and Fangs does what he’s told without interacting with the others.  Sweet Pea worries he made a wrong call. Maybe they should get Fangs talking? Then of course Fangs had another of those daily therapy sessions in just another hour, so he figured he would soon talk enough for a bit.

Afterwards, they really needed to start figuring out where to have the inspection with the social worker. He had messaged Toni the day before, just after coming home with Fangs in tow. He knew what to expect, he knew it wasn’t really all that in depth, but still.

The headquarters would be a nice place, he thought, but then he had no idea whom the building even legally belonged to. On top of that, he wasn’t sure if it was such a good idea to make their gang relations all that obvious. Sure, they worked in a youth deputy program with the police and had helped strike down the Gargoyle King and his Gargoyles, but it surely wasn’t what the social services wanted for the Farm’s victims, was it? He prefers not risking it, so he needs another solution.

Cheryl had offered them a room at Thistle House if they needed one, but when he proposed that solution to Fangs, it didn’t sit well with him. And that was fine with Sweet Pea. Fangs is neither one of their Poisons nor their charity case. Serpents take care of their own.

Maybe they would just clean up his trailer, one of the very last in Sunnyside Trailer Park and pretend it was only them that stayed there. That would probably work best. They could hide some of their too brash snake paraphilia and all the sleeping bags and snakeskins right here on their new shelves.

He tells Fangs as much once the two of them head out together to head overly punctually over to the therapist’s office.

“It’s the best idea. We’ll take my trailer and clean it up all nice. You can officially take the bedroom, so you’ll have that private room the social workers test for, I’ll take the pull-out.”

He was waiting for Fangs to reply, but his friend was quiet and stared at his hands.

“We should check in with Jughead soon. I’m sure he’s interested to hear you’re back, Fangs. We should visit them.”

Fangs stops looking down and stares at him instead. “I don’t think so.” It’s as if Fangs hadn’t thought things through properly.

Sweet Pea looks at him, question clear in his eyes. “Why? He’s too worried about Betty right now to worry about anything else, but he-“

Fangs exhales loudly and lets himself lean back against the seat of the truck they took. “Sweet Pea, I- Kevin and I really fucked up.” Sweet Pea is concentrating on the traffic but sends his friend a worried glance.

Fangs’ breathing is irregular, and he hides his face in his hands. “We’ve... we attacked him and Toni. And I think- we’re the reason Edgar got his hands on Betty in the first place. I’m not really sure what happened that night, but if I’m right, Betty came to get us out of there.” He stops talking and Sweet Pea takes a turn into a convenient parking space at the side of the road.

“She wanted to rescue us. But Kevin and I, we were so far in, we thought she was a danger to herself. And us even.” He takes his hands off his face and looks directly to Sweet Pea, before staring off into the space across the street. “She tried so hard to get away, to get us to see reason. But she’s tiny and she had no idea what she was doing. We brought her to Edgar, so he could help her. He must have started that treatment-“ He breaks off and presses his hands against his forehead.

It wasn’t a treatment, Fangs had to remind himself, Edgar had buried his lingo so deep in their heads, it was hard to overcome his framing. It was a surgery. Edgar must have started it soon after he and Kevin left her in his care.

He couldn’t ever step in front of Betty again. He might have had good intentions, but he had tackled her to the ground with Kevin and doomed her to a surgery designed to kill her.

And later, when Jughead and Toni showed up, frantically searching the whole place for her, trying to get all of them to safety, he and Kevin had tried to do the same to them. If they had succeeded even in just halting them for a bit longer, maybe they wouldn’t have been able to save her. It was a chilling thought. They might have been influenced, but they were responsible for all of it. Responsible for nearly murder. How could he ever look at either of them? How could he be part of the Serpents with that looming over him? He couldn’t.

Sweet Pea is watching him, speechless.

“We tried the same thing on Jughead and Toni. Later, when they came looking for Cheryl and Betty. We tried to stop them from getting to them. We hurt them. They managed to get away, but. Sweet Pea, if we were a little more successful, maybe they would have been too late. If Betty would have- it would be on me. Her death would be on me.”

Sweet Pea doesn’t really know what to do and sits quietly, barely breathing, mind running. If what Fangs said was true- the situation was too big to handle for him. He really doesn’t know where to go from there. He has never been meant to be in charge.

Fangs rushes on. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come back. I should have stayed with Kev.”

“Of course, you should have come back. We’re your family. No Serpent stands alone-“

“Betty did.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Which character should be featured next?  
> I really hope the next chapter will do as I want and show us a little more of Reggie.


	11. Catching Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains violence.
> 
> As always, please let me know what you think, comments mean te world. <3

Jughead had a whole day to spend at home, or in more fitting words had to spend some hours sleeping in a real bed and needed to check in with JB before Veronica would let him see Betty again.

Of course, once he got home, he had to realize his sister had already left for school. Just because Riverdale High was a mess and closed down for the time being, didn’t mean the Riverdale middle schools did the same.

Though he does come home in time to catch his father, still sitting at the kitchen table and skimming through the Greendale Lantern, the only trustworthy local paper in business at the moment not counting the sporadically published _Blue and Gold_. When he hears the front door open, he looks up and, seeing his son, gives him a rare soft smile.

“Jughead, what a surprise.” He jokes and sets the paper down. “Needed a break from the hospital coffee?” Automatically he stands up and gets another mug.

Jughead lets himself fall into one of their kitchen chairs with an exhausted sigh. “Actually, Veronica showed up and exiled me.” He complains and reaches for the coffee pot, pouring himself some as soon as FP places the mug in front of him. “She had Reggie wait in the car until I got in here and all. Said she’d be the watchdog and do the brooding for me, if I agreed to sleep a couple of hours.”

When he stops talking to take a sip, FP’s hand is on his mug and gently takes it away.

“Sounds like you shouldn’t have coffee then. I think we have some-“ He murmurs checking another cabinet and drinks the coffee in his hand. “Yeah, hot chocolate.” FP stirs some of the mixture into lukewarm water and places the mug into the microwave. “You should probably take a shower, too. Can’t be stinking up that place or the nurses kick you out.”

Jughead rolls his eyes excessively in reply.

It doesn’t take long and a soft ding is heard, the mug is hot when FP takes it out. “How’s Betty?”

His father places the mug in front of him and takes his seat again.

“Healing. She’s allowed liquids now. And they told her to start walking again.” Jughead smiles. “She’s exhausted though. How’s work?”

“Grueling. Full. We’re so well staffed right now; in theory, we should be productive as hell. We’ve got the leads and the clues, but there’s just nothing turning up. Still no identity for that Gargoyle King. Nothing on those kids.” He sighs. “With the organ harvesting, I’m not expecting them to be alive somewhere, but no documentation, no graves. They’re just gone.” FP drinks some more coffee.

Jughead nods in thought. No chance they were all alive anymore. “This town is missing an awful lot of corpses.”

FP side-eyes him and sighs. “I hope some of these kids turn up in different locations of the Farm or something. They’ve found a former address of them in Alice’s checkbook. The FBI’s investigating those.”

“That’s good. I meant with- I never told you.” Jughead sits up straighter. “That night, before I met Toni and called you, I dug up Jason Blossom’s grave. His body is gone.”

His father doesn’t understand. The casket’s gone?”

“No, it’s still there, just empty. After Ethel said the Gargoyle King was Jason, Betty and I thought maybe-” He stops and sighs while he leans his head against his hands. “Honestly, I don’t even know. Feels like that was months ago.”

FP nods and watches his son in worry for a minute. Then he leads the conversation to a lighter topic. “Have you guys talked to Polly yet?”

“No, but Cheryl texted. Apparently, she’s well, just real tired. The twins are _ecstatic_.” Jughead smiles, the quote obvious by the emphasis he puts on the word. “They plan to visit Betty later today.”

“That’s good, that’s good. I hope her mother will be better soon, too.” He sighs, disappointed in himself for directly blundering their exchange back into the heavy shit. He looks up and out the window, sightless, then stumbles on. “Don’t tell Betty, but I fear it’ll be some time until Alice will be able to visit her. She’s still confused. Speaks about Charles a lot. I think she doesn’t really understand what’s happening.”

He exhales. _Shit_. Mrs. Cooper has always been resilient and strong; he had thought the whole Farm insanity would be short lived. Whether it was when Betty had to publish that article about her Serpent history and she’d shown up at the next public event in a snake dress owning the drama, when she made sure Betty was safe from the two creeps from Centerville at the cost of their original plan putting herself in danger, hell, she played Hal into strangling her to give Betty a chance to flee when she just learned he was the Black Hood. Sure, she dove into the Farm afterwards, but-

She’d been hurt by the Chic situation, of course, but had she been spiraling all along?

“Be there for her, okay?”

“Always.” He replies honestly and hands his father the first piece of a subject change his mind can grab. “Jelly’s off to school?”

“Yeah. I think she likes it. Brought home good grades on a physics test yesterday.” FP says and looks up to check the time. “Guess I’ll better be going now.” He sweeps his eyes across the room, checking one last time if he packed everything he needed, and pats the pockets of his jacket to make sure he carries some chewing gum.

“Here.” Jughead says and holds a paper bag in his father’s face. “Veronica got you some breakfast.”

At the sceptic look his father sends him, he clarifies. “Fine, me. But I’ll be sleeping anyway. They’re supposedly good, don’t let them go to waste.”

With his father gone, he heads upstairs, dragging his hands against the railing and while he means to take a shower first, falls face first onto the bed and is gone.

♕

Kevin sits in his room, cross-legged on the ground, phone in hand, thumb hovering over the call button. He’s staring at the display, waiting for the time to go by. It is still too early to call Josie. He doesn’t want to disturb her morning. He knows she spent the last night at another club, opening for her father and then staying long afterwards to study his performance and the atmosphere of the audience throughout. She needed some time for herself.

Unsure what else to do, he looks towards the mirror and waits.

♕

Betty smiles, and lays back against her cushions, legs angled to the side resting above the covers and looks towards Veronica who’s looking through some of the contents of her bag.

“What do you think? Something cute and conservative or rather something fun and daring? I’ve got this cute pale pink that is totally your shade.” Veronica rambles and Betty’s smile grows. “But then I’ve also got these!” One after another Veronica takes an assortment of nail polish flacons out of her bag and arranges them next to Betty on the bed. “We could go crazy and dabble into nail art? I’ve found these in the back of my vanity. I thought they might be cute, but then never used them.”

Betty laughs quietly. “Maybe we start with solid colors on the hands and go crazy on the toenails?”

Her hair is freshly washed, and Veronica just combed and blow-dried it for her.

Spending the day with Veronica was fun. Maybe because she was actually alert and able to engage with her friend and her stories. It felt very carefree. She grabs the chamomile tea she is now allowed from the night table and takes a small sip.

“What? Why don’t you trust my nail art skills?” Veronica is pretend-outraged and pouts before she starts laughing. “Smart choice, I’ve never tried any before. So, pink? Or orange? Red?” Veronica rambles through the choices. “Or maybe green like your eyes?” She bats her eyelashes in suggestion.

Betty hums in thought. “Maybe blue?”

Once they settle on a shade, Veronica shakes the small bottle, takes one of her hands in hers and starts applying it on her nails.

Veronica smiles, she is glad she found something she could do for Betty that made her feel better. She had been visiting daily, ever since Archie woke her early Saturday morning and told her what happened. She had made sure there were always fresh flowers in her room and brought food and treats to help feed Jughead ever since, but it never felt enough.

She wonders what light topic to babble about, with the blue nail polish vaguely reminding her of blue skies and warm water, maybe vacationing hot spots? Before she can, Betty speaks first.

“What exactly happened that night, V? I know you’ve somehow gotten your father arrested, but how? What happened?”

Veronica is taken by surprise. “Well... you know Archie’s mother, right? She has all the contacts, literally.” And she explains how they had met Agent Ardelia, the FBI agent that later accompanied FP in the raid on the Farm, and how she had helped her and Archie come up with a plan, how she had later recruited Reggie and the Pretty Poisons who were still working security for her and they had set up a betting studio. How the Bon Nuit was raided that night and she put all the blame on her father who betrayed her and still held the deed to Pop’s. How the bets coming through took a dark turn and she feared her father was going to kill Archie.

How Sheriff Jones was just in time to arrest him.

How beaten down Archie looked and how worried she had been for him.

“I’m sorry if I’m prying, but how come you’re dating Reggie again?” Betty asks with a careful voice. “At prom I thought you and Archie might be-“ she trails off, suggestion hanging in the air.

“Yeah, I” Veronica starts, “I thought so, too. But I also really like Reggie, you know?”

Betty nods. She doesn’t really know, but she figures that isn’t the important part. She understood feelings weren’t always as easy as one wanted them to be.

“And well, Archie didn’t seem to think the same way. But it’s fine. I’m actually really happy with Reggie.” She smiles and instantly sobers. “I mean, happy in a very abstract sense, mind you. See, there’s just so much going on-“

There honestly was, just so, so much.

Veronica takes a deep breath, settling herself and starts explaining. “You know, the FBI has all of Daddy’s enterprises seized and frozen for the time being. Even including Pop’s. Mom’s working fulltime and with the Bon Nuit closed, I’m left to worry about you, mostly. Unless I help the FBI or have Reggie drive me around town or pick up treats to make sure your boyfriend doesn’t wither away.”

She looks through the window into the distance, but Betty thinks she doesn’t take anything in.

“I’m trying to get the FBI to give the enterprises and land back to the previous owners. I’ve been collecting bits and pieces of evidence and trying to get all the records. I want the former owners to file against him for robbery and forcing them to sell under duress for way less than the land was worth, but it’s still a lot to do. Some of them left town. Greendale’s dining scene is blooming due to all the Southside businesses moving there.”

She smiles ruefully and dips the brush back into the bottle. “We only found out because with Pop’s closed, we had to find somewhere else to get dinner from. Most of the reviews online lead to restaurants that are out of business. Often the whole streets are abandoned. I’ve never been around the Southside much, but it was disconcerting. One place had a note saying they moved to Greendale and once there we found a couple others, too.”

She pauses for a moment, centering herself and goes on.

“I don’t really know what else to do with myself. Mom is currently working overtime at city hall with taking care of the Farm situation. She’s trying to figure out how much the school has been tainted by it. With Featherbee a detained crazy and so many students being involved, too... people seem to be just really worried there might be more teachers involved, you know? They’re double checking everyone and then she’s looking for a new principal who can start in like two weeks. But she can’t take the next best one. She has to make sure there is nothing shady going on with them either, because literally everyone in town in looking at that school right now.”

She finishes the first hand and starts on the next, concentrating on the work of her hands instead of her words.

“At the same time, she worries half her team might still be working for Daddy and not for her. She already let go of half of them. They’re understaffed. I told her I’d be happy to help, but she doesn’t want me involved with any of it because she fears it would somehow make me less trustworthy.

And then she said I should probably stop trying to still work so closely with the FBI, because it could make the case less trustworthy. People could assume I was trying to help Daddy get away or plant evidence or something. But I can’t just stand back and watch, Betty. I need this conviction to stick. I can’t go through all of this again.”

“I wish I could help.” Betty starts. “I’ll be able to leave here soon, maybe then-“

“Oh no, Betty. No. Under no circumstances. That is not what I want. At all. It’s just-“ Veronica tries to explain, “I’m just out of my depth.” She sighs. “And I guess I _should_ step back. I don’t want this to go awry. I know Agent Ardelia does a good job. It’s just hard to trust authorities. Here. Where all of them fail us at every turn. I wish there was someone else instead. Just to keep an eye on everything.”

Betty feels that sentiment. She would like to be more involved with the investigation of the Farm. She wanted to have proof before her the Evernevers were really taken care of, she’d like to help find those teens, she had escaped the Sisters with, she wanted to know her family was safe.

She was so glad Cheryl took over the care of Juniper and Dagwood for the time being. The thought of the twins having to stay somewhere in foster care or worse, scared her. That couldn’t be a good place, not in this town. Cheryl seemed to keep an eye on everything concerning the Farm, too. She didn’t have time or reason to keep an eye out for Veronica, at the same time, did she? But maybe... Not everyone in this town was a fan of Hiram Lodge after all. In fact, didn’t a family lose everything because of him? The Muggs. Last year, Ethel had handed out these flyers during the school election campaign.

“Ronnie? Do you think Ethel might like to keep an eye out for you?”

“Ethel?” she asks surprised, but figures, “yeah, maybe.”

♕

When Jughead wakes, he’s disoriented and alone.

He wakes in the bed on Elm Street, surprisingly comfortable and warm. Somehow, he must have wedged himself half under the covers despite still wearing his shoes and jacket.

He stands groggily and pats his pockets to find his phone. Veronica sent him a few texts, telling him to go to sleep and not to worry, Betty was fine.

Going through a mental laundry list of chores he was supposed to take care of, he guesses he should start with the name giving task and heads downstairs where he left his overnight bag somewhere near the entrance door.

Living in the Cooper House was weird. Even after more than two months, he still worried Alice might step around the corner and berate him for leaving his things where they shouldn’t be or for forgetting to put off his shoes before he goes upstairs. Or honestly, for daring to go upstairs in the first place. The thought of her being more hurt by the Farm than the others was chilling.

He puts most of the contents of his bag into the washer only to notice the machine was still half empty, so he trudges back upstairs and raids JB’s room for her laundry basket and finds it essentially empty but the floor next to her chest of drawers covered in t-shirts and jeans. He laughs and picks up after her. She’s never been overly tidy with worn clothes and used to let them fall wherever, usually either in the bathroom, in front of their shared wardrobe or across the pull-out. It was comforting having proof she didn’t change at all.

He goes back downstairs, puts his sister’s laundry in the machine and half of what he was currently wearing, adds detergent and finally starts the machine. He pushes his hair back and is mildly disgusted by the greasy texture he’s presented with. His father wasn’t wrong, he doesn’t want to get banned from Betty’s room by the nurses. He needs a shower.

Half an hour later he’s clean and dressed again and in the process of packing a new bag. With Betty being expected to walk now, she could use a few comfy clothes. At the same time, he meticulously sorts through drawer by drawer looking for Betty’s stashed away Adderall bottles, clearing them out before putting everything back.

He’s right in the middle of one, when there’s a sudden voice behind him, causing him to drop what he’s holding.

“Are you creeping through your girlfriend’s underwear?”

It’s JB, arms clasped and looking unimpressed.

He stares at her, one hand pressed against his chest and laughs. “I’m looking for medicine, actually.”

“Did you check the medicine cabinet?” She towers above him, one brow raised in question.

“You’d be surprised.” He nods towards the vanity where he keeps the two bottles he already found. “One was in the bathroom.”

JB looks and her expression falls. “Is that... the pills Betty is addicted to?”

Jughead is picking the two camisoles he dropped up and refolds them to put them back. “Yeah. She’s better now, but they have to be gone when she comes back.” He closes the drawer and opens the next. “Thus, the search mission.”

“Can I help?”

He grins in answer.

“Have you checked under the bed already? I found vampire romance hell under mine.”

Jughead sends her a questioning look.

“Really. Tons and tons of books. Who reads those?” Her face is twisted in disgust.

He shrugs. “Polly, I guess?”

“Obviously.” She thinks her part about how no one who had their life under control would stoop so low and lets go of the topic. “How’s Betty?”

♕

After he dropped Jughead off, Reggie drove home and for the first time since his and Veronica’s takedown of Hiram Lodge, he spends most of the day there, much to his mother’s surprise. He hadn’t seen much of her recently; he isn’t even sure when he saw his father last.

With Veronica devoting the day to Betty, Reggie had nothing to do. The last few days he’d been pretty much glued to her side, helping to round up more evidence or just taking her mind off of everything going on, she was so stressed worrying about Betty and taking care of everything as well as she could. So, driving her around it was, scooping up new takeout places and having dinner with Jughead Jones of all people.

It was weird, hearing Betty was going through withdrawal because her mother had her addicted to study drugs. Addiction has never been something he thought was a real threat. Of all the kids at school, perfect Betty Cooper. The only one who didn’t even try a little bit of jingle jangle at that party they had with Nick St. Claire more than a year ago. If she was an addict, how fucked were they?

Since that episode was outed to their parents, he had been trying to be a bit more responsible and ever since he got his beloved Bella, he made sure he didn’t drink and drive. Crashing her wouldn’t be acceptable. And deep down, he always wanted to go driving later in the day.

He had stopped dealing too, at least to a degree. Really, ever since he outed himself in front of mayor McCoy and most of their parents. His mother had been so disappointed in him. And his father, well he hadn’t beat him then, he didn’t even scream. Not in front of the other parents, never in public. Later though, when they were home, things were different.

It was weirdly lucky for his father he used to be captain of the football team.

With his mother heading out to the bakery to get some treats for the afternoon, Reggie, feet bare and drink in hand, sprawls across the couch in the living room and zaps through the channels, pretending to catch up with meaningless pop news but really just looking for mindless entertainment.

That day, his father, Marty Mantle had the worst day. Ever since the FBI started to investigate Hiram’s businesses, he felt a noose slowly getting pulled closed.

Hiram was one of his best friends. Even after the huge fall out of the Midnight Club with the murder and the Gargoyle King, because it obviously couldn’t have been Hiram. Why should he kill the principal? There was no motif. They had met again and had been doing business together for ever.

He was expecting a call coming through for days and his investments in Lodge Industries or Hiram’s recent prison questioned.

What he didn’t expect was running into one of the FBI agents at a business lunch and getting praised for the hard work of his son in taking down his friend. The agent obviously didn’t even have anything concrete yet, not on him, but he knew it was coming. And then? What would happen next? They would lose everything. He would lose everything. Hiram helped him doctor his taxes for literal decades. The car dealership, the house, his cars... All of that would be gone.

When he comes home and sees his son lounging about, he snaps. Hiram was good at what he was doing. No one would have caught on. It was obvious his own son and the Lodge girl had helped the FBI. The reason the law was creeping closer and closer, sat right there in front of him.

“I spend all day working at the dealership, selling cars, earning money for the family and what are you doing? You waste your time unless you bring trouble down on our family!”

Reggie doesn’t know what’s happening when his father suddenly grabs him and tears him off the couch. He lets go of the glass he was holding, and it breaks on the ground just as he gets smashed against the wall. “Don’t you know the barest of things my child? If you destroy the family’s business, we’ll lose everything!”

He holds his son’s head in place with a fist in his hair and takes aim with the other.

“You useless piece of trash!”

His father’s fist finds his face.

“Don’t you know how much money all of this is going to cost me?”

Usually Reggie knows when to expect something like this, but today he is taken totally by surprise. What the hell was his father even going on about? He ducks out of the way of another fist and gets thrown into the sideboard in reply.

When his father steps close again, there’s suddenly a delicate shape right in between them.

“Don’t Marty. Please don’t. Stop.”

It’s his mother. She must have come back from the bakery just then. With his father’s yelling, none of them heard her step through the doors.

“Don’t involve yourself in me disciplining my son.”

His father’s voice is cold when he pushes her out of the way. She falls back easily and stumbles to the ground with a wet sound. Reggie stares at the scene in horror.

“Mom?”

His father balls a fist and strikes out, but this time, for the first time, Reggie grabs it before it hits and applies pressure and strikes him in the face in retaliation. He easily twists his father’s arm around and presses him against the wall.

“How dare you?!” Marty screams in anger.

“How dare _you_ , asshole. Hands off my mother.” He thrusts the man’s face against the wall and looks across his shoulder, where he sees his mother sitting up. She’s okay.

He twists the arm a little more, Marty winces in pain. “We’re going to end this now.” He shoves the man towards the entrance, door still wide open, his mother obviously just jumped in front of him without doing anything else. “You’re not welcome in our family any longer.”

Reggie wasn’t a small little boy anymore; he muses as he puts more weight on the man’s shoulder. He’s never been into martial arts, not boxing or wrestling, his interest had always lain with group sports and he joined them all. You didn’t become the football captain without bulking up.

Before he’s all the way to the door, his mother stands behind him and lays a hand in support on his shoulder. “Marty? Don’t touch my son again. I’ll have our lawyer send divorce papers to you. Leave now or I call the sheriff.” Her vice was steel and cold as ice.

Reggie lets go of him and he runs off, sending them an evil glare. Once the man is out of the door, he kicks it shut and turns the key.

He turns around and checks on his mother, touching her arms and scanning her from head to toe. She seems okay, unhurt, but with a huge light stain across her hip.

“I brought shortcake from the bakery.” She explains seeing his questioning look. “Would have been nice with some coffee later this afternoon. Maybe we can order something? Or maybe I’ll just call our lawyer...” Melinda sighs, frazzled and visibly puts herself together in front of her son. Then she sees the broken glass on the carpet and a few bloody prints. “Oh god, sit down!”

She rushes to the kitchen where they keep their first aid kit and back. Reggie drops himself on one of the chairs around their dinner table and absentmindedly checks his feet. It’s not too bad, he is mostly just annoyed. What the fuck happened? Was the one time he and Ronnie robbed the safe in the dealer ship found out?

“This wasn’t the first time, was it? Why didn’t you tell me?” His mother hesitantly moves closer to him, hovers her hands above his beaten face but fails to make contact.

He sighs in turn and lets himself fall back against the back cushion. Where to start?

♕

Sweet Pea has never been the thinker, if there was a problem he couldn’t _act_ away, he went to get help and either rounded up a few friends to muscle it away or went to someone who used their brain to do so. Recently, that person was Jughead and before him it was usually Toni, maybe FP or Joaquin. He missed Joaquin. Asking Jughead was out of the question. FP wasn’t an option either. And Toni... He had sent over so many requests the last few days and she was hurt, too. In addition, this felt so distinguishably serpent business... He sighed. This was on him. He wanted to help Fangs. He feels as if he had let Fangs down, been too involved with his own problems and girl drama to make sure his best friend was okay and only realized it once he’d already been brainwashed and unwittingly donated a kidney. No Serpent stands alone. But Betty did. And maybe so did Fangs.

Maybe all of them did. It at least felt as if recently the only times they didn’t, were the few times they worked together with the Poisons or were actively rounding up Gargoyles.

No Serpent stands alone.

How could he help Fangs? Could he help Fangs? Or should he even try? Couldn’t they just make up and stand together again? He paused. Wasn’t there a story in a book somewhere about making up and a snake bringing peace and hope after a war or something? With some kind of green flower?

He is sitting in the waiting room of Fangs’ therapist and he feels like he’s onto something. Maybe they could be like that good snake? Bringing a message of understanding and chocolate or something? Wasn’t that something people did?

When Fangs leaves the office, he looks surprised to see him waiting. As if Sweet Pea would let him deal with that crap on his own.

Fangs is quiet and nearly shy. Sweet Pea drives them to the store. When Fangs looks at him with questioning eyes, he shrugs.

“We need a card.”

They stand in front of the display; Sweet Pea is scanning the categories and Fangs is studying Sweet Pea.

“We need a _get well soon_ card for the Serpents to give to Betty.” He explains. “We need to make sure she knows we’re with her. She’s not alone in this.” He still wasn’t quite finding what he was looking for though. There was so much to choose from: cards for birthdays and weddings, condolences and even some to apologize. And wasn’t that something. He picks a green one and hands it to Fangs, then looks on and spots the _recovery wishes_. There are designs upon designs and he looks through all of them. He’d like something snake themed, but he’s out of luck. What he finds is a crowned one and one with a stylized motorcycle. The motorcycle one reads as if it was intended for someone involved in a crash, so he chooses the other.

He looks over to Fangs and sees him holding a couple different cards, giving him more time to choose, he browses through some more categories. What did it matter where he wastes his time?

“We should visit them at the hospital tomorrow.” There were cards to welcome newborns, boys and girls and twins. Where were the cards for triplets?

“I- I don’t think they-“

“Yeah, I don’t think you should come. Don’t ambush her in person. I can deliver whatever you want to her. The Serpents need to visit. Maybe bring some flowers or something? What do other people do?”

“Chocolates? I don’t know. We usually don’t.”

“No.” He thinks back, to the last time Serpents had to spend time at the hospital. Jughead was nearly dead last year, when they found him after his run in with Penny and the Ghoulies. And Fangs had been shot and they thought he died on the operation table. They really should have left someone behind to keep an eye on him, but everything was so dramatic that time.

“We should start. Let’s get Betty some flowers with the card. Have you found a _I’m sorry you lost a kidney_ card?” Sweet Pea says, trying to make Fangs smile with a little ribbing, but he earns a glare instead. “Yeah, maybe you should write a letter. I’m sure they have paper somewhere?”

They couldn’t change what happened, but maybe they’d figure out how to live with this together. They just had to act.

When they get back, Fangs starts writing.

♕

The girls are still in Betty’s hospital room, Betty on the bed laid back against the cushions and Veronica in the chair with her shoes off and her feet propped next to Betty’s, watching a show on Veronica’s tablet neither of them watched before.

The day had been good, but long and Betty is getting tired. Talking is exhausting.

“Imagine having a mental link with other people like that!” Veronica gushes.

“And what? Have like your penchant for Magnolia cupcakes and Josie’s vocal range?”

They laugh as the door opens and Jellybean hastes into the room, triumphant. “First, ha! Hi Betty! Veronica.” She smiles at her and nods to Veronica, before she lets herself drop into the other chair. “Have you been painting your nails?”

As Veronica turns off the show, Jughead and Archie step through the door at a much more reasonable pace.

“Hey Betty.” Jughead beams at her and steps close to the bed to give her a half hug and press a kiss above her brow. She leans back in time and meets his lips with hers.

“You okay?” he asks in a soft voice.

“Very.” She smiles and lays a hand on his arm. “You look refreshed.”

 He looks sheepish but admits secretly. “I even smell much nicer. Sending me home might wasn’t the worst idea.”

She laughs lightly, mindful not to aggravate her wound by laughing too hard.

Archie closes the door, greets the girls and steps awkwardly closer to the group.

Jughead pushes his overnight bag off his shoulder and places it on the lowest shelf of the bedside table, before he half-leans against the mattress, not quite taking a seat but hovering in place. “Have you seen Polly yet?”

Veronica rolls her eyes and says: “I told you I’d text you before she comes. Apparently, something came up, I’m sure the twins are demanding all of Polly’s attention.” She laughs.

He’s a little worried to hear it, but Betty leans a bit closer and he forgets about it.

“I’m glad the twins get my sister all for themselves for a bit.”

JB looks at Jughead, raises an eyebrow in slight contempt and visually gestures towards the bed once he notices. Jughead twists his lips and brows in reply. Betty catches on and moves a bit further to Veronica’s side, making space for Jughead to sit. Veronica watches them and sighs, then she stands and offers her chair to Archie. “You might as well sit down; you make all of us nervous.” She carefully takes a seat on the bed next to Betty’s feet and leans against the footboard.

Betty yawns and leans into Jughead’s shoulder.

Absentmindedly, Veronica takes out her phone and starts typing a message for Reggie to ask him to pick her up.

“It’s fine, Ronnie. JB and I should be heading home now, too. We can just drop you off at the Pembrooke.” Archie says and checks if JB is listening. She is muttering under her breath how had just come and making her leave was unfair.

Jughead places a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Visiting hours are over and Betty is tired.” he explains, “When is Dad coming home today?”

She turns to look at the clock. “He should be home soon, he really tries.” She sighs unhappily.

“I could come over for a bit.” Veronica surprises herself in offering but pushes on. “My mother works overtime every day this week. We could watch a movie or do our nails or something. Reggie can pick me up later. Or we call him to bring us dinner.”

“Uh, I don’t- fine.”

♕

Archie drove the three of them to Elm Street in his father’s truck, changed and headed out with Vegas for another run. When they come back, he is surprised to find Reggie sitting on their veranda. Didn’t he know Veronica was at the Joneses’?

“Yo Andrews.” His face is black and blue and there’s a gym bag next to him. “You’ve got a couch I could crash on?”

His mother had found asylum at her sister’s place in Centreville for the time being. He could have accompanied her, but he didn’t want to leave town. He worried about Veronica and he didn’t want to spend his time with a cousin he barely knew, he much preferred the company of a friend.

“Sorry, with Moose out of town and Chuck being Chuck, you’re my first choice.”

Archie smiles. “Come, get in. We don’t have a guest room, but an air mattress if that’s okay for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter we might catch up on some characters that weren't in this one.  
> Did you miss someone?


	12. Laughing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've seen my Six Sentence Sunday last week, I kinda lied. That part will be in a future chapter.

Cheryl stands motionless in the open door to the room she gave to Polly, hand still raised to knock once more.

“Babe?” Toni comes around the corner, a twin on each hip and looks at her with worry. “Are you alright?”

Cheryl wasn’t.

Toni steps closer to look into the room next to her and has to consciously hold the children a little bit tighter to not let go of them accidentally.

The dressers are open and seemingly empty, the decorations that used to sit atop them sprawled in a corner together with the half-stripped blankets that should be on the bed. The door to the en-suite bathroom was wide open, the room behind stooped in darkness. The sight was foreboding.

All personal effects seem to be taken, the bag and clothes she had come with the day before, missing.

Polly was gone.

♕

When the Farm was raided, the FBI had seized everything the Farm owned. Agents from out of state were deployed to Riverdale to comb through everything they had found on site and help interrogate all of those people they had taken into custody for being on the Farm’s grounds and held in custody as well as practically everyone else in town to find witnesses.

Right of the bat, they had tons of incredibly incriminating evidence, the worst being the walk-in fridge full of human organs.

Edgar Evernever had been found arms deep in the gut of an unconscious girl, chopping away on her tissues. That alone was enough to send Edgar Evernever to prison for life, never mind that he attacked another teenager with a scalpel and resisted arrest or everything else they uncovered.

Evelyn had tried to flee from the site and wounded an officer in a sudden lashing out. While that alone wasn’t too different from some of the victims, she is a known face of the Farm, appearing in public and attending school posing as a teenager to help foster new members into the cult. She was a danger to Riverdale’s youth. Additionally, all of the significant papers they had found pertaining to legal things had her name right next to her husbands. It would be surprising to see her getting out of this without a significant stint in prison.

♕

For a moment, they can’t grasp a clear thought, can’t do anything but stare. Then Toni turns a fraction and leans her front against Cheryl’s side, to lean her head against her shoulder in support.

“I made her breakfast...”

It’s not much more than a sigh, and Cheryl’s in motion again, taking a single step into the room before she turns abruptly and races down the stairs and out of the door. Toni follows, taking the stairs much more carefully and stops to place the twins into their playpen in the living room.

Outside Cheryl screams in frustration. Their rented car is gone as well.

Toni makes to step outside, but Cheryl’s already coming back in, checking the board they kept their keys at where the car key is obviously missing and stares into the room. There are a couple candles lying on the side boards and the coffee table, silver candlesticks gone. One of the drawers they keep their silver cutlery in is open a fraction and she moves over to check them. All of them are empty.

“I think I’ve joked about something like this happening before.”

Her voice is light but cold. She feels lightheaded and heavy at the same time.

She collapses onto their settee and looks towards Toni with open eyes, trusting her to take over.

Toni doesn’t know what to do, not really. But she knows she needs to pull herself together for her girlfriend and takes a deep breath. They needed to make calls. Who to call first? FP and the police or Peaches and their other Poisons? She starts with Peaches and changes her mind while it already rings. The social worker gave them a number for emergencies. This was one if she’s ever seen one.

She ends the call and runs into the dining room where they had put all their documents onto a sideboard the night before. She leaves through the folder and finds it on the second page she’s skimming. It’s a local number and it’s just another moment until she typed into her phone and calls it.

It rings but goes to the answering machine twice before she gives up. She calls 911 instead.

After they said they’d send a patrol car to them, Toni steps back into the living room and takes a seat next to Cheryl. They needed to make more calls. The car rental, the therapist, their lawyer-

The twins choose that moment to start crying in tandem. Maybe they needed to feed them first.

In the kitchen they find Nana Rose checking on the oven.

♕

Evidence was everywhere in the old nunnery. While most was linked to the Evernevers, there was quite a lot indicating blame on the other members of the Farm as well. First was the obvious blind eye all of them turned to the horror that was going on in the surgical room.

A lot could be explained by the seemingly endless range of methods of mind control Edgar regularly put to use. But how far that would excuse those involved from legal consequences would have to be seen.

Then there were the tapes upon tapes on which farmies would admit to horrible crimes, some very obviously untrue. They had Kevin Keller admitting to killing Midge Klump with his father’s police gun and Fangs Fogarty stating he strangled her to death. Cheryl Blossom confessed killing her father Clifford Blossom with an arrow. Principal Weatherbee said he poisoned his predecessor Felix Featherhead to get his job.

And then, they had a couple of tapes of Alice Cooper retelling a murder and its cover-up, again and again. Sometimes she was the murderer, sometimes it was her daughter Betty, sometimes it was her proven-dead son Charles Smith, once it was baby Dagwood. Most of the time, she did the cover-up, sometimes alone, sometimes with help. Once, after the murder, a gang kicked their door in, chopped the body in tiny pieces and used them to feed their neighbor’s cat. (None of their neighbors even had a cat.)

The FBI had to assume all the confessions were made up unless they were presented with further evidence.

♕

It takes the police twenty minutes to send a car and of all the people working there, the leading deputy is Terry, the same one that interviewed them after Cheryl was taken by the Gargoyle King and harassed them into repeating their story for hours because he couldn’t believe anyone much less a girl could pierce bones with an arrow.

To make things worse Peaches and Soda Float have come over to check on them after the call Toni abandoned halfway through. Toni is glad to have them there, helping with feeding the twins and being just there to shoulder part of the decisions they feel so unequipped to handle that morning. Terry isn’t.

Members of a gang being at a crime scene “by chance” is suspicious in his eyes. Still, he acts like the picture-perfect officer and makes a conscious effort to remember that the young women might actually be as traumatized as they appear and his shift ends at eleven am, no matter what happens that day.

Still, he’s not good with babies or toddlers of any age and their presence distracts him. He understood they needed to be taken care of, but even right then? Timing wasn’t their strength it seemed.

Soon he calls for back up.

Cheryl is ready to scream, she keeps telling him she hadn’t had time to check the whole house yet, but Polly’s room was overturned, the rental car gone, and their silver cutleries and candlesticks were missing, but Terry stares beside her at the twins.

Finally, he exhales and asks: “Who’d steal candlesticks? How much could they be worth?”

Cheryl isn’t quite sure if that was just a disbelieving comment or actually part of the questioning, she answers anyway. “I don’t know. Something. They’re massive silver.”

Terry looks impressed. “Do you have photos?”

“No, not that I know of.” Cheryl replies, sighs and uses her hand to flick her long hair over her shoulder. “But most are carrying the Blossom family crest. I have pictures of that.”

♕

FP is barely out of Elm Street, when he gets a call on the radio: trouble at Thistlehouse. He takes it, hoping the kids are alright. They aren’t really, but it’s worse. It’s Polly.

He curses and turns around to take the fastest route while grabbing for the chewing gum he just stocked his pockets with.

This day had started so nicely.

When he arrives there, Cheryl’s a nervous shell of herself, Toni tries to keep everyone together but is obviously still fragile herself, the twins are oblivious but stressed with all the strangers in the house,  Soda Float is taking care of them as best she can, Nana Rose is worried and Peaches is trying to take over whatever she can, but no-one seems to be able to let her know what that is.

He takes over for Terry and sits near Cheryl.

“What if she’s kidnapped?” she asks him. “When would the kidnapper call? What should we do then?”

“Babe, with the family silver missing, I don’t think it’s-“ Toni starts but FP interrupts her, wanting Cheryl not to worry more.

“We’ll figure it out once it comes to that.” FP replies. “Don’t worry. I want her back safe just as much as you do. I’ll make sure we do everything we can.” He pauses for a moment, giving her time to process what he said. “This doesn’t look like she was taken against her will though. What is the last thing you remember? What have you done last night? Has she said something, maybe?”

“What, no. She was just tired. And when I came by to- she had just taken a shower. She was fine.”

FP nods, deep in thought.

He just wanted Alice’s girls to be safe and sound. Both of them. He wasn’t doing a good job ensuring that.

Where did Polly go? And why? Her children were here, what was going on?

It was a hell of a lot suspicious she had hightailed it out of town, but maybe she was just a bit too confused by the Farm. Alice wasn’t okay and Polly had been so much longer with them after all.

FP hoped- he didn’t know what he hoped. Both options weren’t good. When she honestly just fled out of town by her own sane reasoning, then why? Was she trying to hide something? What could that be? But if she had left still under the Farm’s influence, she likely was a danger to herself. What was going on with her? He doesn’t really know what to do with the case.

“Have you checked if anything else is missing?”

“No. After we saw the room, I checked outside and then I saw the candlesticks.”

“Did you search her room?”

“No.” Toni cuts in, “we stood at the door, Cheryl took a single step in and then we went downstairs. We haven’t even been upstairs since then.”

“That’s good.” FP muses and turns towards Terry. “Call a forensic team. I want them to search the room upstairs. Maybe there’s a clue where she went.”

If there was a kidnapper against all expectations, maybe they’d find prints. If not, maybe Polly’s prints over everything would be at least enough to assure Cheryl and Toni wouldn’t be blamed for all of this.

♕

Some of the evidence they unearthed was situational, some wasn’t. In any case, there was always more of it, the Farm was excellent at keeping documentations for nearly all of their doings. That was part of why it took so long to look through everything.

There had been elaborate chore rosters found, that included boring and mundane chores like sweeping the floors and helping in the kitchen side by side with pseudo religious ones like polishing the candelabras or cleaning the font as well as more disturbing ones like cleaning the medicinal utensils used in Edgar’s surgeries (just one of the health hazards in all of the horror).

There had been what someone labeled _members’ manual_ flyers because they dictated when they had to wake up and go to sleep as well as when certain rituals were to be gone through: coal walks that acted as a fire baptism and ritual drownings that were considered baptisms in their twisted schemes.

More interesting were the meticulously kept books meant to document the movements of the Farm’s financial matters and merchandise.

The FBI had hoped they would find information about the identities of those people Edgar had stolen organs of. Unfortunately, they had reduced them to single organs with a blood group attached. They could make educated guesses on what organs in their item lists belonged to the same person due to the date they were sold and delivered. Due to the kind of organs removed, a lot of the victims had to be dead, bodies missing, others could be identified by the surgical wounds of the living farmies.

The records also included clues as to where the organs had ended up. One of the addresses they regularly delivered organs to, was a small clinic in Centerville that officially was a veterinarian but seemed to do organ transplantation after hours. Another led to a shady parking lot in Greendale that belonged to a run-down restaurant. Occasionally instead of a destination extra costs for surgery and lodging was included. It seemed as if Edgar also offered to do the transplants himself and charged extra for the breakfast after. They didn’t have information about who those people were yet, but they hoped some of the farmies remembered guests staying over.

In addition to being an organ farm, they also were an _organic_ farm. They grew mushrooms and potatoes, kept goats and pigs, and twice a week they had a stall at the Riverdale’s farmer’s market selling veggies, milk and meat. Sometimes they offered hotdogs too.

On top of that some members had specific jobs to do. There was Evelyn whose work was in recruitment, Alice who worked on public relations through her new position in RIVW and a couple articles she wrote for the Farm’s blog online, and then there were obviously a few nurses with questionable moral compasses.

All of these were included in those records as well, often listing the individual wages as a direct income for the Farm.

♕

When FP finally gets up to leave Thistlehouse, just before he leaves, he takes a small card out of his pocket and hands it over. “Next time something’s up, just call me directly. Any time. Whether it’s about work or the twins.”

Toni takes it, sees the mobile number printed on it and nods. “Thank you.”

Back in the car, he checks the time and sighs. His shift pretty much just started and yet it felt as if he already worked a double shift. He smiles when he sees the paper bag on the passenger seat and remembers the breakfast Jughead made sure he took. He’s thankful, he’d be surprised if he could take a proper break today.

He should head over to the hospital and tell Betty about Polly in person. But what they knew was little and worrisome and everything else was speculation only. It would be fairer to her, to visit once they did know something of substance. He knew she was feeling better, but she was still looking so fragile and honestly, he didn’t want to bring more bad news to her bedside. He hoped his colleagues would figure out where Polly was or why she had left soon. He couldn’t tell her she just disappeared; Betty would worry worse than Cheryl. If he had to bring bad news, could it be-

There was no bad news he would actually want to bring to her.

♕

Sierra McCoy isn’t expecting anything in particular when the phone rings. It could have been Cheryl asking her again to hurry with the emancipation she asked for Betty or maybe Ms. Weiss or the FBI with news on any of her cases.

So, when she answers it and it’s her bank, she’s mildly surprised.

“We’re calling about the donation you IN AUFTRAG GEBEN about three weeks ago.”

The clerk says but she doesn’t hear another word.

She didn’t. Three weeks ago, Tom and she had left town to investigate Athens.

“Excuse me, what kind of donation?”

It turns out that someone had called in her name to arrange for money to be transferred to a Canadian account for “the Sisters of Silent Merci”. She isn’t sure what’s going on, but it does remind her of Betty’s college fund that was so carelessly transferred to the Farm. She suspects it’s another front for the Farm and asks the clerk to cancel what he could and make copies of everything for her and the FBI.

She ends the call and has barely put the phone down when it rings again. It’s FP. 

Polly is missing and Cheryl vouched to make sure she attended all her therapist appointments. She took on responsibility for her well-being that included quite some legal responsibility. It’s serious.

♕

On a normal day, his shift would have ended an hour ago, today he is happy Tom Keller talks him into taking a break for dinner because he can use that to visit Betty to try and deliver the news about her sister. He sighs, he really doesn’t know where to start with that.

Just when he’s gotten up and is halfway to the door, the FBI agent working the case alongside him comes hurried inside, face hard.

He steels himself; she certainly wasn’t bringing good news.

♕

They found the rental Polly took somewhere on a backroad in the woods about two hundred miles from Riverdale on the Canadian side of the border. The car was empty, steering wheel and handles wiped to destroy any prints left and seemingly no clues inside.

Worse, the agent working on cataloguing the personal affects they had seized from the Farm calls to deliver news on what they had found in Polly’s room.

When FP finally leaves, it’s too late to head to the hospital and he feels horrible for leaving JB alone for so long. He’s glad Mary has been joining in taking care of her ever since Friday night.

When he comes home, the lights downstairs are still on and the tv in the living room is showing the credits of a movie long muted without anyone to watch. He turns it off, glad when the creepy glow disappears.

“Jellybelly?”

It’s only upstairs that he finds a sign of life. Jellybean’s room is dark but Jughead’s isn’t. The door is wide open, and he is surprised to not just spot his daughter but also Veronica Lodge pushing the bed back against the wall, a vacuum cleaner and a small garbage bag circumstantial evidence of what had been going on.

He laughs at the sight and startles the girls into looking up.

“Mr. Jones.”

“Dad!”

“What are you two doing here?”

“We’re ensuring the room is safe for Betty.” JB smiles at him. “Jug and I made sure the inside of the drawers was Adderall free. Veronica said she checked the bags Betty kept at her place and I figured the ones here needed checking too. And then we got worried if maybe something fell behind the bedside tables or the bed itself.” Jellybean tells him happily and might be a bit hyper; it really was late. She should have been asleep hours ago.

“There were just a few bobby pins and a bottle cap, but it’s clean now?” Veronica offers. “Her jackets are safe, too.  Really, I can’t think of anywhere else to check.”

“Also” JB jumps in, “I found the most amazing collection of the automobile magazine. I had no idea Jughead grew up to be cool- He even has the issue about the bike he rides.” She gestures toward a few boxes they had found underneath the bed and had to remove in order to move it.

“Don’t want to disappoint you, but I’m pretty sure those are Betty’s. Your brother probably doesn’t know what model bike he’s riding.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!  
> The next chapter is already half done and will contain more Bughead and a few answers.  
> Leave me a comment if you want to read it?


	13. Cuddling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new chapter.  
> Let me know what you think!

Betty wakes with her head bedded on Jughead’s chest and an arm slung over his torso. It’s so familiar she doesn’t even wonder why her bed isn’t quite as comfortable as she’s used to. She keeps her eyes closed and just stays in place. She listens to the beating of his heart and wonders why she woke, when she hears his stomach give a sudden rumble. Such a Jughead thing to get woken by, she giggles and is catapulted into the present. Giggling doesn’t hurt per se, but it feels off somehow, of course it does, she still has that huge healing wound across her abdomen.

Maybe she twitched or maybe she just woke him with the short, abandoned giggle, in any way Jughead stirs and his arms tighten a little bit around her. “Betts?” the word is mumbled and hardly audible, but her ears are bare inches from his lips.

She smiles against his chest. “You’re hungry Jug.”

“Am I?” He sounds confused and is obviously not actually awake yet. The sun is only just rising, so it’s not really day yet and she snuggles closer, deciding the day would be long enough as it is, and she should take this extra moment to rest some more. He moves one of his hands to her head and starts carding his fingers through her hair.

She turns her head and presses a small kiss against his throat and relaxes in that position. “Your stomach’s rumbling woke me up.” She sighs serenely.

In reply, he presses his lips against the crown of her head, the only part of he can reach without disturbing her position.

Just then the rumbling sounds again.

“That wasn’t mine.” He sounds more alert already and looks at her with a somewhat smug grin. “Do you feel alright?”

“Hmm, yeah. Guess a little hungry?”

“That’s good, I think. Here, let me up and I’ll get one of the nurses to start feeding you.”

 Not much later they do feed her, though hardly more than broth and a bit of bread and it’s surprisingly nice. It doesn’t taste like she expected hospital food to taste, then again Jughead thinks she might be over-appreciating the flavor because she hadn’t had any for nearly a week. And yeah, true.

He sits across from her against the foot board of the bed and has started chewing on a granola bar, someone, probably Mary Andrews, made sure he had an emergency supply of, to give her company with her meal, but his focus is on watching her and the soup as if he’d never seen a more enticing sight, granola bar forgotten in his hand.

She stares at him in question and he gives her a self-satisfied smile.

“I might have finally found my ship.” He quips. “You and food. I can’t wait to see you eating a burger again.”

That weirdo. She can’t help but laugh in return and shake her head at the same time. At least it’s with good soup.

 Usually Archie’s visiting them in the morning, so when there’s a knock at the door and FP comes in, they’re mildly surprised.

“Hey you two. Everything alright?”

They smile in reply. Obviously, everything was alright. Better than alright actually. After breakfast, her doctor dropped by with better news than either of them expected.

“Betty’s allowed to eat now and there’s a chance we can take her home tomorrow.” Jughead presents them proudly before his father even took a seat and takes him by surprise.

“Really?” FP’s face lights up as if a huge worry fell off and disappeared. He starts grinning. “Oh Betty, that’s wonderful news!”

Betty smiles in reply.

“Yeah. The doctor said my last tests came back really good and essentially we’re only waiting to see if-“

She trails of and Jughead jumps in to complete her sentence with a grin.

“I think _if her body_ _can process food_ were the words he used.”

She sends a mild glare to him and he literally giggles. When she rolls her eyes about his maturity, he pecks a kiss on her cheek and says something about one of the nurses or something else entirely, FP isn’t listening,

FP can’t help but watch their silly antics and let it calm a worry he hadn’t acknowledged ever since Jughead brought the news of her initial waking on Saturday. Despite all the blood there had been, on him, on his son, on Edgar, on the tools and on the floors and on the nurses, Betty really was recovering. She’d be okay. Jughead, too.

When Jughead starts laughing again, without knowing what it’s even about, he joins in, maybe giggling a bit himself, earning him two surprised looks as if they even forgot he was sitting right there next to them.

“I’m glad, really. This definitely speeds up part two of why I’m here. With-“ He half starts that part, but immediately recoils. He can’t start with living conditions; he has to start with Polly. He owes it to her.

“I wish I had good news to share.” He begins soberly. “But I don’t. I really don’t.”

Betty and Jughead sober up as well, sit a bit straighter.

“It’s about Polly. Your sister has left town.”

FP tells her about how she had disappeared over night, took a car and left her children and Riverdale behind. Betty listens to the words he says but barely grasps what they mean.

Jughead gasps and maybe so does she, she isn’t sure, when FP tells them about some of the evidence the FBI has found and the conclusions they have come to. Those must be wrong, she knows. She does.

“She loves the twins. She wouldn’t do that. I can’t believe tit. Any of it. I just can’t.” Betty is shaking her head. She isn’t exactly speechless, but she struggles understanding any of it. She balls her hands, just to help her order her thoughts and Jughead takes them in his just to make sure she doesn’t start hurting herself again. “She wouldn’t just leave.” She wouldn’t, right?

“I can’t believe any of it either.” FP says. “But she must have left of her own, there were no signs of a third person’s involvement, no prints, no signs of force or violence. And what the FBI found- it’s incomprehensible, really.”

Betty doesn’t want to think about it, she doesn’t want to understand her sister, even if she didn’t know what the Farm was, how could she, how could anyone do that? The thought alone is chilling.

Jughead next to her pulls her into a warm hug.

“I promise we’ll figure this out. We’ll find her and we figure out what really happened. Your sister has been with the Farm for so long and with the Sisters before that. We will figure out what happened to her, what kind of brainwashing and mind control has been the cause of it. We’ll make sure she gets help, Betty. Mary and Sierra are already working the case. She’ll have the best help there is.”

She nods, her face hidden behind her hands, and leans a bit further against Jughead’s firm presence. She can breath there.

“Does Mom know?” Her voice is soft as if she doesn’t actually want her question heard, doesn’t want an answer.

But FP exhales deeply in reply, her question obviously heard.

“Alice is... She’s still a bit confused.” FP tries to explain without giving too much worrisome detail. “I haven’t been to see her again yet, but the last time I spoke to her she couldn’t really understand what happened at the Farm.”

Betty can’t fault her mother for that, who could? What the hell had been happening at the Farm? She had held the proof in her hand, hell, she’d been on Edgar’s operating table herself, would bear a scar for the rest of her life, living proof of what the hell happened at the Farm, and yet she could hardly wrap her mind around the facts.

“Betty, with Polly leaving,” FP starts carefully, “I think they will be more careful with letting their patients leave their supervision. And at the moment, I think Alice really needs the professional care and therapy they offer.”

She nods, yes, she thinks so, too. The last times she had interacted with her mother... She had been acting so weirdly. And she had tried to help, she had abducted her to the bunker and tried what amateur treatments she had come up with, but it had been all for naught. Her mother needed professional help. With how Polly had acted-

“That leaves you legally without a fit parent able to care for you.”

The way he speaks is gentle, but it hardly helps with this topic. Instantly Betty nods and it’s as if a wall goes up. Jughead next to her sits up straighter and holds her even tighter.

“Obviously you’ll stay with us. It’s Riverdale, not having a fit parent isn’t a problem here.” He stares at his father, eyes firm and the message clear.

Betty nods. “Right, I can make arrangements with the foster family.”

FP moves closer and lays a hand against her arm.

“Betty, we could foster you. Or the Andrews. Or you choose someone else. Half the town offered.”

Betty looks up, not quite understanding and needing the extra context expressions gave to conversations.

“You’ve got your pick. The mess the Farm made has the whole town following the news. We’ve got your back. Fred and Mary offered to take you in, and so did Tom and Sierra. Hermione has space at the Pembrooke. Cheryl would love to take you in and says she’s got enough space for five of you. The Mantles have a guest bedroom they offered. Pop Tate said he has the space and time for it and would love to repay you for all the help you always offered him. And then literally people I haven’t even seen before. Mary has a whole list she’ll bring later. This will work out. Unless you want something to change, nothing will.”

Betty breathes and Jughead relaxes against her.

“Also, you don’t have to be fostered if you don’t want. Cheryl has been asking Sierra to set up an emancipation case for you and pretty much the only thing missing is your signature.”

“She did?” That was unexpected.

He nods. “She was really worried about you and spent a lot of time with Sierra this last week. You know, making sure the twins were legally taken care of. And then she said something about Patient Decrees to make sure Toni would be informed if something happened to her-“

Betty nods in reaction and stops looking quite so worried.

FP sighs. Time moves on so fast; he should head back to the station and try to figure out where Polly had gone.

A few minutes later he gets ready to go, the teens will be okay on their own.

He turns back around at the door, because he feels like he failed to be clear enough.

“Betty? We would really love to have you living with us again. Jellybean already got your room ready for you with Veronica last night. All you’d need to do is step inside.”

♕

With Fangs gone, Kevin felt lonely. He missed his company. The last weeks, ever since the musical, they had spent every minute together, essentially joined at the hip, finishing each other’s sentences and mirroring the other’s body language. He’d felt safe and seen.

Since he left, Kevin spent his days following his father and Sierra from room to room, looking for what he was supposed to do but never finding anything. At the Farm he’d always known what to do, where to be, whom to be with. Here he didn’t. Both adults were working so many hours and while there was always one of them at home with him, they weren’t really _with_ him. They had so much to do, so much on their mind. It wasn’t fair.

And he missed Josie. They weren’t always close; not like they had been in the last year. But ever since they had met at the cinema more than a year ago now, she had become his best friend. One who didn’t put a big fat ‘gay’ marker on him, just like he didn’t add a ‘black’ to her. Better, one he didn’t have to share with other ‘best friends’ who where always more important and closer than he was, even when they didn’t deserve it.

One who came to him to work on their relationship, one who didn’t choose the next mean city girl that broke her heart over him just because she claimed she was sorry and handed over some cupcakes.

He didn’t have Josie as a quasi-sister for more than a couple of months and a live-in stepsister for less than a couple of weeks when he had left for the Farm, but he really wanted her around. In lieu of her, he found himself sitting in her room staring at her music collection and her old Pussycat-ears taped to her mirror a couple times a day. He only ever called her after lunch, not wanting to appear needy or disturb her schedule.

That day, unlike the others before it, the doorbell rings. He happens to be downstairs, Sierra is in her bureau bent over case files and constantly on the phone because of Polly Cooper, so he goes to answer it and finds Valerie standing in front of his house, a basket full of groceries in hand. She smiles up at him.

“My girl Josie said you needed checking on. Care for a round of baking and self-made milkshakes?”

♕

When Sweet Pea and two of the other Serpents come to visit Betty, her room is empty. There are still some flowers set in a vase on the bedside table and one of Jughead’s jackets hangs across the foot board of the bed pointing towards yes, they are in the correct room, it’s not just the name tag on the door. The question is where they went.

Sweet Pea stands in the door, wondering where to turn next, when he spots a nurse. She looks cute and can’t be much older than him. He gives her a flirty smile and steps closer.

“Maybe you could help me? I’m looking for my friends.”

“You’re here for Miss Cooper? The fiancé and her are taking a walk. Just give them a moment, they won’t be long. She still gets exhausted immediately, you know?”

He doesn’t, but he smiles in reply and nods at his friends to follow him to the waiting room.

It’s a different one than the one they had all spent much of the last weekend in. Still, it feels weird inside, as if the temperature drops and he steps right into the uncertainty again. He hates it and knows instantly why they don’t do this, don’t spent any more time in here than they absolutely need to. Maybe they shouldn’t change?

He shakes his head to himself and drops onto one of the chairs, prepared to wait stoically.

The longer they’ll have to wait the more nervous he’s going to get. He’s already wondering if they made a mistake with the gifts they brought. But you couldn’t go wrong with chocolate and flowers, or could you? Did Betty even like things like that? He still hardly knew her and there already were flowers in her room. It’s not as if she needed more.

Just then, he sees them coming down the corridor, they’re slow and make careful steps, but they’re arm in arm and Betty smiles, listening to whatever Jughead tells her.

He’s half out of his seat, when he remembers telling Fangs off for potentially ambushing her and drops back onto the seat. He should at least give them enough time to get to the room in peace.

When they finally make their way to the room again, Betty’s back in bed but smiles happily at him to come in. She does look exhausted though and he makes sure their visit is a short one.

Betty loves the flowers and keeps looking to the chocolate they brought, just being allowed to eat again, she apparently hadn’t had any yet.

Sweet Pea is glad they did the right thing. They make space for the two bouquets they brought her.

Betty reads the _get well soon_ card all of them had signed and gets a little bit teary eyed by the number of signatures. It wasn’t just from Sweet Pea and the two other Serpents with him she shared classes with. It was also from Curly Kale and Wild Roquette, Bell Pepper and Tail Skin, Jelly Okra and Brussel Sprout and others she isn’t sure she even met before.

It’s also from Fangs. His name is there right next to Sweet Pea’s.

She knows he wasn’t really himself at the time, but he’d tackled her to the ground and dragged her by the ankles to Edgar. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

Sweet Pea sees her eyeing the name, he has stepped closer to the bed, taking the chair Veronica usually sits in, the other two have stayed behind, closer to the door.

“The white flowers are from him. He wrote you a letter. You don’t have to-“ He stops. What was he going to say? Forgive him? Be okay with him being part of the Serpents any longer? He waits and sighs.

“You don’t even have to read it. But he’s sorry. And he’s fucked up. We all did.”

Mary knocks at the slightly open door just then, a stack of papers in her arm and Sweet Pea knows it’s time to leave.

“Call us if you need anything. We’ve got your back.”

They’re gone before she can say anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I keep trying to add what's going on with Polly into the chapters, but it just doesn't fit.  
> Maybe next time?  
> I mean, in case you want to know.


	14. Polly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small warning, this chapter is a bit different.  
> There is off handed talk of disturbing and controversial themes from a perspective that is both unreliable and disturbed.  
> There is nothing graphic, but there is a lot of weird and just offensive opinions and disturbing past events.  
> There's racism, sexism, animal cruelty, violence towards children, blood, talk about murder and abortion, wishing harm unto others, organ farming and other Farm practices.  
> If you wanted, you could skip this chapter without any problems.

_Cheryl was deep down nothing but a sweet and caring girl._

_Jason had assured her of it often and Polly appreciated seeing the proof of it now. She didn’t just set heaven and hell in motion to get her out of the ridiculous new prison in town and reunited with the twins, she also made sure she had everything she could wish for right there for the taking, just in case she’d want it. Towels, three kinds of shampoo, a variety of body wash and lotions, two kinds of toothpaste. Pathetic._

_She had excused herself at a ridiculously early time, just after dinner not waiting for desert despite everyone passing the oversized Blossom Estate could smell the freshly baked goods hiding in the kitchen._

_But to be honest, she mused while wrapping her hair into a towel, she really needed a good, hot shower. The one she had to use while being detained wasn’t too bad, but the old nunnery didn’t actually have hot water in usable quantities. There really didn’t seem to be a limit to what she was willing to do. She grinned._

_She dried her arms and body and wrapped herself into the fluffy bathrobe Cheryl got for her, freshly washed and brand new. She shook her head, poor girl._

_It was still early, but she had plans and needed to get a move on and maybe, if Cheryl stocked the room half as good as the bath, she should do some repacking beforehand._

_She’s halfway through the chest of drawers behind the door, when there’s a knock. It’s the door, must be Cheryl. Doesn’t she know she’s supposedly already asleep?_

_Polly sighs and gives the room a cursory glance. Nothing was really out of place. She closed her eyes and focused on being really tired for a second and then opened the door, just enough to be able to speak to her but not seem inviting. She was so tired after all._

_She’s astonished when Cheryl returns her engagement ring. She figured the bitch stole it, but the nerve to give it back? Still, she missed it. It was hers, the proof of Jason’s love for her. She considers the weight of it in her hand for a moment, then she puts it on, back to her right ring finger where it had been missing for nearly two years. She looks at it and frowns. They weren’t engaged anymore. She puts it on her left instead._

_Jason Cooper. Polly Blossom. Soon, maybe, something else entirely._

_She got back to packing and is amazed of Cheryl stupidity. There’s a whole collection of clothes in the drawers for her. Jeans, skirts, tops, sweaters. Much nicer than what the FBI gave her. She packed what she liked. She needed something for the way after all._

_When she checked everything and her bag is packed to her contentment, she zipped it and lays down for a bit, just a few hours, to give the other residents a chance to fall a sleep and herself some rest. She’d need it._

_♕_

_Polly packed the last candle stick into the bag and stood up. She had what she needed, some of the pies and other snacks for the road from the kitchen and even two framed portraits of Jason. This was it. Finally. Good riddance. She never wanted to step foot on Blossom territory again._

_She took the car key of the board and walked out, a huge bag over each shoulder and a few smaller ones in hand. They were heavy and she had to be careful not to make too much noise. No one should be waking up after all. She smiled as she closed the entrance door behind her._

_It was too bad Jason’s car was still at the garage. It should be hers now, legally. But maybe it was for the best. That car was way too conspicuous. She needed to be less conspicuous._

_She put her bags behind the driver’s seat, most in the foot room, the one with her clothes on top of those on the seat. Just the small handbag she took from Cheryl came with her to the front of the car. Cash was good if she needed to fill up the gas after all. She’d have to make a short stop to the Greendale station, but then all options were hers. Canada or Texas? No one would ever know._

_As she starts the car, she catches herself in the mirror for just a moment. She wonders if she should dye her hair (black maybe?) or just cut it really short. No one would know her if they even bothered to search for her in the first place._

_It wasn’t as if she was seriously involved in any of it. Edgar was the butcher, Evelyn the lure. They were the monsters. All she did was tell them whom to aim at. And there wasn’t any proof._

_Still, she might do it somewhere on the go, just because she could. Of course, she’d have to stop for some dye first, after all, the only hair dye the Blossoms ever owned was red, and maybe, now that Cheryl had that ex-serpent lesbian arm-candy in her bed, bleach and pink. How unbecoming_

_Cheryl was so much like Betty, but at least her sister had the common sense to find herself a white boy._

_She turned the key, set the car in motion and drove off._

_The night was still quite early. She had a few hours of rest thanks to going back to her room at such a ridiculously early time, rose again just a few hours in and searched around the room once more just in case there was anything else worth taking. There wasn’t really. She would have liked to search Cheryl’s bedroom, but didn’t dare step in there, not wanting to disrupt her or the harlot’s sleep._

_Besides, Cheryl had given her everything she had really wanted the night before._

_It was_ her _ring._ Jason _had given it to her. It was meant to bind them together against everything. To symbol their plan to never part._

_Now, she was on her own._

_It was never meant to be that way._

_They had planned to leave Riverdale together, sell what they could and build their own haven somewhere, maybe Canada. Somewhere where they could get out of their families’ grasps and live for themselves. Where it wasn’t about being the perfect first born and instead was about what they wanted._

_Where they didn’t have little sisters that were always the preferred option._

_Little Betties._

_Betties who were always perfect, no matter what they did wrong. No matter how many pants had stains at the knees because she never stopped crawling through their neighbors’ bushes._

_Polly never been perfect once, no matter what she did right and no matter how hard she tried._

_When it was just her, Polly’s baby pictures were the cutest and sat on the mantel piece. Then Betty came along and her baby pictures were deemed cuter and replaced hers._

_It used to be her finger paintings on the fridge but then Betty’s were better than hers and took the space over._

_Every time she fought for a small space for herself, Betty soon came along and took it over._

_It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. She had to pay for it one day._

_She had always known the Farm to be evil. Has known so before it all began. They had offered her money for the baby. Money Jason and she had desperately needed. She had never wanted to be a mother; the Farm had been the perfect solution for their troubles._

_Abortion wasn’t an option; it didn’t give them what they needed. Besides, it was murder and she’d never murder a part of Jason. Not inside of her. And to be truly honest, she had never planned on being a murderer. Not until she had her hands around her mother’s neck pushing her under water and no one around to judge her for it._

_It was a pity Betty came running to save her._

_It would have been a fitting end for a mother that had made sure Polly had felt like she was drowning for most of her life._

_Really, it was too bad. She thought at that point she had destroyed their relationship enough for Betty to stay wherever the hell she was all the time._

_Polly had always tried so hard._

_She had made friends when her mother said to and she had stopped being friends when her mother didn’t like them. She had been soft spoken, well-combed and in her best dresses when she was supposed to and gave firm noes when those were called for. She had found the best boy in her year, good grades, good family, captain of the water polo team and co-captain of the football team. Old money. Sophisticated. An heir. Jason had been on top of everyone._

_Betty had come home with some homeless Southside trash._

_Polly’s boyfriend wasn’t even allowed to drive her home after Vixen practice. Betty’s boyfriend was invited inside, for breakfast, family dinner, baby showers._

_What could she have done differently? What would have been enough?_

_Nothing ever was enough for her mother. She had always preferred Betty._

_And her father, that man had expected her to kill a small baby a few weeks after conception. Those were living feeling things! She might not want them, but she wouldn’t kill them. Not inside of her. She might have drowned a kitten or two in her days, but-_

_Handing them over to the highest bidder though, because yes, her blood type was 0- thank you very much, was much more dignified._

_She stopped at the town sign, close were Jason had hidden their car all that time ago. She stepped out of the car to retrieve a small object hidden from sight under a few loose stones. She put it into her pocket without much care and stared at the sign._

_She was leaving Riverdale now. Finally, this was goodbye for good._

_Back in the car, she sighs. Betty had always been a thorn at her side. Perfect Betty, the perfect daughter._

_Betty, who brought home the better grades and who was better behaved. Betty who didn’t kill the young kitten they had just adopted a few weeks ago while trying to teach it deep sea diving and who didn’t push her sister down the stairs because of silly fights over who got to play with which doll._

_Betty could be friends with the good for nothing boy next door and hang out with his friends in that ragged tree house of them. Betty who was allowed to have whatever friends she wanted. Bett who could wear those tight ponytails and get her hair all wavy and misshaped by them._

_Polly had to be friends with the daughters of her mother’s well-respected acquaintances. She had to make sure not to spend too much time with boys. She had to wear those uncomfortable headbands and make sure her hair didn’t get tousled._

_And whatever she did, her mother always preferred her sister. From the very first day she brought her home but even more so since she found her unconscious in the hallway after she fell down the stairs._

_At least she had their father. Good old Hal Cooper, working full time at the Register while his wife spent most of the time at home, making sure the sisters were behaving. Despite all of his hard work every day he made sure to take the time to read to her before bed. She had been his favorite for the longest time._

_Betty was young and childish and stupid, but Polly had been a lady. She remembers her father showing her off when they had met friends of his in town or on Sundays in church, and once she had accompanied him to his work at the register._

_And she remembered how pathetically Betty tried to get closer to him. How she spent Saturdays in the garage with him trying to pretend she was interested in things like cars and what tools were the right ones to use for what. She had even begged him and their mother to allow her to subscribe to some ludicrous automobile magazine. As if any girl her age would be interested in that. She had even dared to fight their mother on it, just to make good with dad. Of course, her being mom’s favorite, the woman capitulated and let her do as she pleased._

_God, Betty didn’t even have a single female friend growing up, none that weren’t just a front to ward off their mother’s ire. Most of the time Betty’s ‘friends’ were actually Polly’s friends she had been expected to share with her sister to make sure she wouldn’t end up a total freak (it obviously never worked) or one of the Mantle boy’s female cousins that only played with her because she was the only other girl._

_Hell, it was preposterous luck one of her friends turned out gay and it was unfair her mother accepted a gay best friend for Betty in place of a real best friend. She would have never let Polly do something that ridiculously pathetic. Everyone knew gay best friends were only for show. Real best friends were always girls._

_She had reached Greendale and made a turn towards the old shabby train station the town still maintained. Public transport was such a relic from the past and frankly, so was the rest of the town. She always felt watched here, as if the people still sat at their windowsills with binoculars like in some old movie her sister used to watch._

_She parked the car on the side under an old oak, pulled the hood of her jacket over her head and hurries inside to one of the old shabby lockers placed in a dark corner of the station. She took the key out of her pocket and opened it, revealing another bag. It’s dark and heavy; it’s the emergency bag she had packed months ago. She returns to the car, throws it in the bag and leaves._

_♕_

_She had only considered keeping the baby after her parents had imprisoned her with the Sisters of Quiet Mercy and told her to give the baby up for adoption. Sticking with her plan felt too much like giving in to what her parents wanted. She couldn’t sell it now, could she?_

_Jason and her, they could try that parenting thing. Maybe make her parents believe they left for the Farm and instead go in the other direction, somewhere warmer, where Jason could spend the days swimming in the ocean, maybe as a swimming instructor._

_But of course, Betty had come and crushed her dreams. Who else? What has ever not been her fault?  
And so Jason was dead and she all alone on her own with both of their families looming over her._

_She couldn’t go back home and do what her parents wanted but she also couldn’t go to the Blossoms and give them the baby like her parents would want._

_The baby turned into twins and then, they were cousins and she didn’t know what to do with that._

_Worse, Jason was murdered, and the suspect was the father of Betty’s new boyfriend. She chose his side over her own sister’s. The man wasn’t the one that pulled the trigger, but he might as well have. Clifford Blossom who held the gun, took his own life before she had even found out. Why? Because Betty chose to tell Cheryl before she told her. Yet again choosing someone else over her. Once more standing with her ridiculous Serpent-son boyfriend of hers._

_But Polly didn’t let her get away with it. Not fully._

_Going back to school while pregnant wasn’t the nicest experience, but she knew it was just for one single day. Getting the blood into the school was easy and so was sneaking to her sister’s locker during class, no teacher dared to prohibit Alice Cooper’s daughter who was pregnant with twins to visit the restroom when she needed to._

_When the news about their neighbor being shot came out, their loser father had been so inadequate for the job she had looked through his mask immediately. It had been so hard not to laugh at him and point out where he had gone wrong, where his pitiful alibis and red herrings didn’t work, where he was as transparent with his plans as water. Where she had seen him coming home from the diner, hood still in hand._

_It was easy to feed him lines to repeat. Going after sinners was easy in a town of sinners. Interpreting sinner to mean her in a way that seemed dangerous enough to excuse her skipping town to her wretched sister even more so. And with it she took from her sister’s relationship to their mother. It made it so easy for Alice to put the blame for Polly skipping town on little miserable Betty’s shoulders. Of course, she never delivered._

_Chic had been a throwball, he didn’t fit into her plan of vengeance at all. But what a lovely turn that story took. Their mother was even more shaken after discovering he was a fraud and had in fact killed her real son. It was too bad Polly hadn’t seen any of it in person._

_And Cheryl had been as easy to crack as a soft chocolate egg with his help later on. That bitch had tried to keep Jason all to herself. Even after she knew they had been engaged and were expecting a baby, twins, she had kept that ring away from her and claimed it was lost. It was the only thing she had left of him; Cheryl lived in a house the size of their school with things of Jason wherever she looked. She didn’t deserve any of it. It should have gone to her. To Polly._

_And the twins._

_Juniper and Dagwood, the two little people she had carried for months under her heart. Half her, half Jason, but somehow, they turned out so different all of their own._

_Because yes, somehow in the middle of h_ _er pregnancy she had started to actually want those babies. She had wanted good things for them. She had wanted the Blossom money and part of the Blossom Estate. For them._

_But then they had given her the worst pain she could imagine just to be born. They were such ungrateful little monsters. Couldn’t they wait for Edgar’s caesarian skills? She never wanted a natural birth. And curse Evelyn and her stupid need to have things be natural and talk her into breast feeding. She hadn’t liked it. It hurt. The twins had acted as if they were vampires, sucking the life right out of her._

_She was glad the police had locked that bitch up. May she rot in prison for all eternity._

_Edgar too. He kept using her for his hypnosis shenanigans and those were fun, but he had assured her he’d get to Betty soon for more than half a year. She had planned to be gone months ago. It was his fault she had spent those last few days in prison. It was his fault the police would likely be looking for her now. It was his fault she would have to watch her back now._

_♕_

_It’s miles before she stops the car again, on a shabby sideroad in the middle of a thick forest. The tank of the ugly rental car is nearly empty, and the sun is about to rise. The dawn isn’t the most effective to notice through the thickness of the leaves above her, but there is another car waiting on the curb for her._

_Her criminal sister knew how to break into and hotwire one. Polly didn’t need to. She wasn’t alone._

_♕_

_All in all, it wasn’t how she pictured her retribution, but she couldn’t say she was wholly unhappy about how everything turned out. Her unfaithful father was a crazy serial killer in prison, her uncaring mother broken and confined to a mental institution never to be let outside again, her sister was badly maimed to the point where she was barely a person anymore, those damn twins might not end up with the deadly poisonous Penelope Blossom and the deep cutting Edgar Evernever as sole care giver respectively and Cheryl might get to keep some of the Blossom Estate-_

_But Cheryl would have to take the fall for her escape. The authorities would never let her keep the twins. With Betty maimed, they’d end up in the system for sure. And really, that was just like waiting in line for the next Farm to scoop them out._

_She was angry she couldn’t take vengeance on Clifford Blossom. It should have been her._

_And while the Serpents might not have actually killed her fiancé, they could have. She’ll never forgive her sister for choosing their side. That damn serpent slut got what she deserved._

_And what was left of her would hurt for the rest of her life, always finding the person to blame for all of this to be herself._

_She did that._

_She showed her._

_She laughed manically and takes another turn._

_She took their mom, she took their dad, Betty_ _’_ _s stupid gay-best-friend-tm and their useless cousin Betty kept caring about. Polly had slowly but surely chopped at all of those relationships._

_The principal that gave Betty so much better grades than her, that invited her to speak at the stupid town jubilee._

_Fuck her for always being better. For being more loved. For getting the cat when all Polly wanted was a dog._

_That serpent slut would go to hell._

_And frankly, with the gigantic surgery scars her body must be showing, her days of slutting around were definitely over. No one wanted damaged goods._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? 
> 
> Also, a heads up: I don't think I'll finish this story in just two more chapters, the count will move up. Again.
> 
> Also: Sorry for the slow updates, I'm doing archie-inktober this month and have no time left for drawing. I hope I'll be able to be as productive if an author next month as I am a productive artist this one.


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